Die Hard and The Queen: An ROH Saga
by DiaryOfLacey
Summary: The saga of Eddie Edwards and Taylor Ashton.
1. Chapter 1: Unholy Alliances

February 18th, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Eddie Edwards and Adam Cole had just won their match against Mike Mondo and Matt Taven and the referee was raising their hands in the air when the arena went abruptly silent and the lights went out. The opening of "Let It Rock" by Kevin Rudolf hit the small arena, and everyone looked at each other, including Eddie and Adam. When the song hit the chorus, the spotlights rested on the silvery curtain, from behind which a female strutted out. The lights came back on, the woman standing still as she stared at the men in the ring with a Chesire cat smile. She wore black short shorts with knee high black wrestling boots, a white studded belt and a black half jacket with a hood. The jacket was zipped up, stopping just low enough to barely show her cleavage and a hint of her white bedazzled bra. Her long burgundy hair was pin straight and parted to the right, her hazel eyes peering out from behind the curtain of hair.

Nigel McGuiness and Kevin Kelly, the commentators, gasped. "Oh my God, Kevin, that's Taylor Ashton! She hasn't been here in months, ever since her arm was broken when Davey Richards accidentally moonsaulted onto her!" The girl, now identified as the former manager of the American Wolves, made her way towards the ring, her eyes never leaving Eddie and Adam. Once there, she grabbed the bottom rope and swung her legs up to sit on the ring apron, then got on her feet and slipped through the ropes. Without saying a word, she got a microphone, then moved to stand in front of the two wrestlers. "Gentlemen, how good to see you. Having a broken arm really puts a damper on wrestling, huh?" Adam was perplexed, having never met this woman before. He looked to Eddie for answers, but his tag team partner was intently focused on the woman. A sly smirk then spread across Eddie's face, and the former ROH champion held his hand out to Taylor. She took it with the same smirk, turning to the crowd. "Now that the REAL First Lady of ROH is back on the scene, I can return to doing what I do best, managing. But I want to make it very clear that I do not support Adam Cole." Taylor turned to Adam. "No offense, but I only support one man on the Ring of Honor roster, and that's 'Die Hard' Eddie Edwards!"

Taylor twirled the microphone in her hand, a look of mock concentration on her face as she put her hand on her hip. "See, while I've been at home recovering thanks to that loser Davey Richards, I've heard some things that really ticked me off. I'm tired of hearing that Eddie Edwards has no personality, that he played second fiddle to Davey in the American Wolves. I want to straighten this out. Eddie has plenty of personality, more than all of you will ever have! He NEVER played second to Davey. If anything, he carried that team! And I should know, I managed them! So you know what, I came back because I want Eddie to be on top of Ring of Honor. Everyone putting him down, that's over now-" Before she could say anything more, Davey Richards made his way to the ring, his title belt and Kyle O'Reilly in tow. If looks could kill, the look on Taylor's face would have dropped him in his tracks, and Kyle as well. The ROH champion stared back at her with his signature scowl, the tension between them obvious to the crowd. When Davey was in the ring, Taylor flashed a fake smirk his way. "So since you lost the best tag team partner you ever had, you go and pick up a rookie? Honestly, Davey, I would have expected better than that from you. But then again, no one can expect very much from you, can they?"

Davey glanced in Eddie's direction, then locked eyes with Taylor. "Ya know, Taylor, you run your mouth a lot. Where does all that hot air come from? Does it come from those fake funbags you carry on your chest, or does it just come from that empty space in your head where a brain is supposed to be?" He smirked as a look of rage crossed Taylor's face. However, she quickly regained her composure and offered Davey a fake grin. "Maybe it comes from the same place you get your lack of wrestling ability from." She paused a second, looking him over. "Sorry, make that lack of wrestling ability AND lack of balls." She pursed her lips and cocked a hip out, knowing she'd gotten the best of him. Then an idea formed in her mind. "You know, on second thought, you might have a little bit of talent in you somewhere. So I propose a challenge." Davey smiled sweetly. "Taylor, if you're trying to seduce me, it's not wor-" "OH SHUT IT, RICHARDS!" Taylor snapped before Davey could finish, his jokes starting to irritate her. "Look, I challenge you to a match. Me and Eddie against you and a female partner of your choosing. Whadya say?" Davey thought a minute. "You know what, Taylor, I accept. I can't wait to see your face when you get your ass beat!" The champion threw down his microphone, leaving the ring with Kyle. Taylor stared after him, a knowing smirk on her face. Just you wait, Davey Richards, I'll get even with you. Just wait...


	2. Chapter 2: Young Wolves Rising

February 25th, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

"The following match is your TV main event and is a mixed tag team match! Introducing first, wrestling out of Othello, Washington, he is the Ring of Honor World Champion, The American Wolf, Davey Richards!" Bobby Cruise's voice echoed in the Du Burns arena as the 5'8" World Champion walked out onto the stage, smirking to himself underneath his hood because he knew that the woman he picked to challenge Taylor was a wise choice. He got in the ring, handing his title to the referee as he turned towards the curtain. "And his tag team partner, wrestling out of Mobile, Alabama, Victoria Lawson!" The returning blonde ran out from behind the curtain, wearing white short shorts and a white halter top to match Davey's white ring gear. Her outfit was finished with black wrestling boots and black mesh arm sleeves, her hair simply curled and hanging down. She jogged to the ring, sliding under the bottom rope before flashing the peace signs to the crowd. Victoria hugged Davey, the two friends in real life.

"And their opponents, first, wrestling out of Boston, Massachusetts, 'Die Hard' Eddie Edwards!" The former champion came from behind the curtain, the fans cheering. He walked down the short entranceway, stopping at the ring steps to wait for Taylor. "And his tag team partner, wrestling out of Las Vegas, Nevada, she is the 'Real First Lady of ROH', Taylor Ashton!" The burgundy haired girl came strutting out, wearing red tights with 'Edwards' down one leg, 'Ashton' down the other, and 'Die Hard' written across the back. A black sequined halter top completed her look, and her black wrestling boots were just the regular kind. She walked down to meet Eddie at the steel steps, winking at him as he moved aside to let her go up first. She held out her hand and he took it, helping her up the steps like a true gentleman, even though she could have been running and still made it up the steps without falling. Taylor bent down and stepped into the ring between the bottom and middle ropes, waiting for Eddie to follow over the top cable. When the two of them were in the ring, Taylor immediately zoned in on Victoria, someone she knew quite well. Then she turned to Davey, cracking a smirk. "Well, Richards, one thing you do have is pretty good taste in tag team partners. Female ones, anyway." Davey nodded. "Thanks Ashton. Now get over there so Victoria can wipe the floor with you."

After all four shook hands, the bell rang and Taylor and Victoria started it out. The blonde, being 5'7" to Taylor's 5'5", had the height advantage and she used it to overpower Taylor and push her back into the corner. The ref counted to three before Victoria backed off, but was quickly back on the offense with a stiff forearm to Taylor's face. The maroon haired girl clutched her jaw, then retaliated with a forearm of her own. The two girls fought out to the middle of the ring, Taylor getting the upper hand and clotheslining Victoria down. The shorter girl then dropped down and grabbed Victoria's hair, rolling her onto her stomach. Taylor grabbed Victoria's legs as she sat down on her back, pulling the blonde's legs up into semi-circle shapes. The Alabama girl screamed in agony, reaching for Davey's outstretched hand. Taylor didn't let up, quickly transitioning into a Camel Clutch. The submission again put intense strain on Victoria's back, and she was trying to fight her way out. Finally, she managed to get to her feet, dumping Taylor on her back and leaping to tag Davey's hand.

The American Wolf jumped to the top turnbuckle, taking down Eddie with a missile dropkick as he came across the ring. Taylor was now back on her feet, and she pushed Davey away from Eddie, but Victoria intervened and snatched the girl by the hair into the opposite corner of the ring. The two got into a lockup, and finally they were pushed apart and out of the ring by the referee. Taylor screamed across the ring at Victoria, brushing her mussed hair out of her face. Eddie got the upper hand on Davey, catching him with a headlock. Davey slingshoted Eddie into the ropes, but the former champion springboarded back and took Davey down with a moonsault. Dueling chants of "Come on, Davey!" and "Take him out, Eddie!" were audibly heard from Victoria and Taylor, respectively. Eddie caught Davey in the single leg Boston crab, this time the dueling chants coming from the fans. Davey had his head in his hands, trying to figure out a way to fight out of Eddie's submission. He was currently facing Victoria, and she knelt down on the apron and leaned through the ropes to reach for his hand. "Come on, Davey, get over here!" The American Wolf let his partner's encouragement sink in, and he forced himself to crawl to the corner where she was with Eddie's weight still on his back.

As soon as Davey's palm slapped Victoria's, the blonde highflyer was on the top turnbuckle, and she pushed off, landing on Eddie with a flying crossbody. Taylor saw this, and it raised her ire. The burgundy haired girl grabbed the top rope and pulled it down, crouching before sailing over, the air she caught incredible. She somehow grabbed Victoria by the neck and got her knees up under her chin, pulling the blonde down into a devastating double knee facebreaker. Victoria collapsed to the mat, her hair covering her face. Taylor hooked her leg, waiting for the count. "One!...Two!...Three!" "Here are your winners, the team of 'Die Hard' Eddie Edwards and 'The Real First Lady of ROH' Taylor Ashton!" Taylor shot up, throwing her hands up in the air as Eddie wrapped his arms around her in a forceful hug. Taylor returned her boyfriend's hug, then let him lift her up to sit on his shoulder. The 6' wrestler turned to face each side of the ring, showing off his girlfriend to everyone. Taylor laughed, then screamed when Eddie tossed her up in the air. He caught her on her way down, then spun her around and kissed her. The crowd cheered at the sight of Taylor leaning back in Eddie's arms, her arms around his neck. When Eddie placed Taylor back on her feet, she smirked at Davey, taking Eddie's hand in her own and raising them high. The uprising was just beginning.


	3. Chapter 3: Sun, Fun, And Getting Pinned

March 3rd, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Taylor was backstage at the show, sitting on a steel chair with her notebook and a pen in front of her. Various scribbled notes and a bunch of x's and lines covered the current sheet as she chewed on the pen cap, somehow able to read the jumble of stuff she had written. A hand tapped her on the shoulder, nearly scaring her to death, and she spun around. Instead of it being Eddie, she saw Roderick Strong. "What do you want?" The 'Messiah of the Backbreaker' smirked at her. "Just came to see the eye candy my buddy Edwards will be sporting tonight." Taylor narrowed her eyes at Roderick, pointing her blue nailed finger in his face. "So you came, you saw, now turn around and go find your little girlfriend Truth Martini. And by the way, Eddie is NOT your buddy and will NEVER be your buddy."

Roderick looked down at the short girl, crossing his arms. "Ya know, you could always dump that loser Edwards and join the House of Truth." Taylor scoffed. "Please, I wouldn't lower myself to the scum if I had to. Besides, you already have that new chick in the group. Rule one of girl code, don't invade another girl's territory." With that, Taylor gathered her notebook and stalked off to find Eddie. However, Roderick was not that easily brushed aside and followed after her, easily keeping up with her pace. Being five foot five limited her ability to outrun him, and so she was stuck with him following her. "Go away, Roderick. I have a match to focus on. Go read the Book of Truth or something, go do anything."

"The following bout is your television main event! Introducing first, wrestling out of Toronto, Canada, being accompanied by Truth Martini and representing the House of Truth, 'The Messiah of the Backbreaker, Roderick Strong!" The arrogant man and his Ozzy Osbourne look alike supporter made their way to the ring, ignoring the crowd's chants of "we want Edwards!"

"And his opponent, wrestling out of Boston, Massacusetts, being accompanied by the 'Real First Lady of ROH', Taylor Ashton, he is 'Die Hard' Eddie Edwards!" The former ROH Champion was standing in front of the curtain when the camera landed on him, Taylor just behind him with her arms crossed.

She and Eddie headed for the ring, he of course letting her go first. She stared down Roderick and Truth as they watched Eddie, then the two of them settled their gazes on the loudmouthed girl. Roderick simply smirked at her as Eddie motioned for her to get out of the ring as the match started.

The two shook hands, and the bell rung. The two locked up, as Roderick backed Eddie into the corner. He finally broke the hold, but not before being yelled at by the ref. They tied up again, and Eddie got Roderick on the ropes. Before the ref could reprimand him, Eddie made the clean break. The two locked eyes, and they pushed each other. Roderick kneed Eddie in the gut, earning a scream of disapproval from Taylor. Eddie bounced off the ropes, and hit Roderick with an arm takeover. Strong got Eddie in the middle of the ring, and chopped him. Roderick went to Irish Whip Eddie out of the ring, but Eddie floated over. Before he could hit any offense, Strong hit a spinning calf kick to Eddie's face, Eddie hitting the canvas. Taylor pounded the mat with her fist from outside, screaming for her boyfriend to get up. Roderick went for the pin, but Eddie kicked out quickly. Roderick, now frustrated with his opponent, dragged Eddie to the corner and started stomping on his chest. Taylor rallied the crowd into a 'Eddie Edwards' chant as Roderick whipped Eddie out of the corner. Eddie got the upper hand and stopped the attempt, then got Strong tied up in the Tree of Woe.

After a hard Sick Kick with what appeared to be tape on Roderick's boot, Eddie was down and Roderick scored the pin. Taylor, although disappointed, climbed on the ring apron, going to get in and go to Eddie. Her way was blocked as Roderick walked over to her and got in her face, telling her what a shame it was that she had just watched Eddie be proven a loser. "Maybe now you'll rethink your decision not to join the House of Truth." Taylor, acting on pure anger, slapped Roderick hard across the face, making him stumble back into Truth. She stepped through the ropes and again headed towards Eddie, throwing his arm over her shoulders and getting him on his feet. Paul Turner interrupted, making the announcement he was reversing the decision because of Roderick's foreign object. As he and Todd Sinclair argued over who the winner was, Eddie superkicked Roderick and hit the Die Hard, dropping Roderick. He got the pin, and Turner counted, then raised Eddie's hand in victory. Todd Sinclair, now back on his feet, threw up his hands to reverse the decision. The two referees kept arguing as the show went to commercial.

When the commercial ended and the show came back on, Kevin Kelly and Jim Cornette were in the ring trying to help make a decision. Jim Cornette was asked who the winner was, both Eddie and Roderick wanting answers. Taylor got in the middle, pushing the two men apart before another collision happened, then focused on Cornette. "Jim, who's the real winner?" "Well, Taylor, let's make this interesting." He turned to face both the men and the crowd. "At Showdown In The Sun, both Roderick Strong and Eddie Edwards will face each other and Davey Richards in a Three Way Dance for the Ring of Honor World Championship!"

As soon as the words left Jim's mouth, the camera landed on Davey, who was pointing at both Eddie and Roderick with a scowl. Taylor stepped up to the ring ropes, standing on the bottom one and leaning over the top. "Bring it on, Richards!" Truth was doing the same thing beside her, and the show ended with not a three way dance, but a three way staredown between Truth Martini, 'The American Wolf' Davey Richards, and 'The Real First Lady of ROH' Taylor Ashton. Florida, here we come.


	4. Chapter 4: Of Friends And Foes

March 10th, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Since the episode with Roderick last week, Taylor had been irritated. He was irritating, and he got on her nerves. But what she DIDN'T know was that this week, Roderick and Truth Martini had a surprise planned for her on the show, but it wouldn't be the good kind.

"Hey Taylor, I know you're back there! Come on out here, baby girl, I got a surprise for you!" His request was answered when 'Let It Rock' by Kevin Rudolf filled the arena, followed by the appearance of Taylor at the curtain. She'd come alone, without Eddie, just as Roderick and Truth had hoped. Dressed down in a black miniskirt and a yellow off the shoulder shirt with black heels, she climbed the steps and bent through the ropes. She cast a suspicious glance at Roderick, then stepped over to take a microphone from the ring guy. "What, Roderick, what do you want? I have better things to do then play your stupid games!"

Roderick smirked, cocking his head at her. "Calm down, Taylor, you're turning red." The burgundy haired girl looked down at her feet, her hair falling to cover her face. She was embarassed, not one to like being put on the spot if she didn't want to be there. "See, Taylor, Truth and I decided you needed to have a little fun. So I bet you're wondering what our surprise is, am I right?" Taylor slowly nodded, still unsure what the two had planned. 'Sexy Chick' by David Guetta hit the speakers, and Roderick began dancing like a fool. Then, for their surprise for Taylor, the music hit the chorus and Roderick took this opportunity to walk behind her and pull her shirt up over her head, then reach down and pull her skirt down so that it fell all the way to the mat, leaving Taylor standing there in her bra and panties. "SURPRISE, TAYLOR!" Then he turned to the crowd, still smiling his Chesire cat smile. "See everyone, that's what Eddie Edwards sees at night!"

The burgundy haired girl seemed to stare at her body for a minute, then dropped to her knees and started crying. She was desperately trying to get her clothes back on, but couldn't seem to stop crying long enough to do it. Then before Roderick or Truth could blink, Eddie, Adam Cole, and Victoria Lawson were there in the ring, Eddie shielding Taylor's body from the camera as he hustled her out of the ring and backstage. Adam shoved Roderick, getting in his face. Victoria, meanwhile, had Truth backed into a corner, tearing him out of the frame for that disgusting prank. She and Taylor weren't the best of friends, but when there were only two or three girls, you had to stick up for your fellow female. Adam and Roderick were fighting, Adam kicking Roderick with all his strength. Finally, the two left the ring, leaving a beaten Roderick, a browbeaten Truth, and fans disgusted at what the House of Truth had done.

Backstage, Victoria and Adam had to search to find Taylor and Eddie. Taylor was sitting on the floor in a corner, her knees drawn up to her chest and her face buried in her knees. She'd gotten her skirt and shirt back on, and also had her jacket wrapped around her and zipped up. Eddie was knelt down in front of her, trying to calm her down and get her to stop crying. Needless to say, he was having very little luck. Taylor refused to look up, not wanting anyone to see her face. Victoria sat down beside Taylor on the floor, trying to get her to look up. "Hey Taylor, you know now that Roderick's messed with you, you get to get revenge. And you always tell me how there's no one better at getting revenge on somebody than Taylor Ashton." This finally got Taylor to look up, smiling half heartedly. Her face was still red, her eyeliner running down her face in streaks. She used the back of her hand to wipe them away, trying to look half decent. Victoria smiled back. "Now, do you feel a little better?" The redhead nodded. "Yeah, thanks, Victoria. Thanks for helping me out." The two girls hugged, apparently calling a truce. Taylor pulled back and looked at Victoria. "And now that you helped me with Roderick, I'll help you with Miko, if you need it." Victoria nodded. "Thanks, Taylor, that's sweet of you."

The burgundy haired girl got on her feet, smiling at Eddie to reassure him that she was fine now. She ran her fingers through her long hair, righting the damage she'd done with her sobfest. She headed to the bathroom with her bag, going to change clothes so that she would be ready to walk with Adam Cole out to his match. Eddie had convinced her to be out there with their teammate, although she was doing it a bit unwillingly. Victoria followed, just to keep Taylor from crying again. The burgundy haired girl was already out of her skirt and into skinny jeans that hugged her body by the time Victoria caught up with in the bathroom. She pulled off her yellow shirt, pulling on an Eddie Edwards 'You Can't Measure Heart' T-shirt. Taylor slid a black studded belt through her belt loops, then shoved her feet in her black knee high Converse. She fished a brush out of her bag, then pulled her long hair back into a high ponytail. When she finished, she turned to Victoria. "Do I look okay?" Victoria nodded, then followed Taylor out of the bathroom. Taylor disappeared around the corner, then backpedaled and smiled at Victoria. "Hey, after the show, meet up with me and we'll go out and celebrate!" Victoria smiled, nodding at the shorter girl. "Sure thing." With that, Taylor disppeared again, off to find Eddie and Adam.

Taylor found Eddie giving Adam a last minute pep talk, trying to get him pumped for his match. When they saw Taylor, Adam gave her a sympathetic smile. "Hey Taylor, are you okay?" She nodded, adjusting her ponytail. "I'm fine. What Roderick did to me is nothing compared to what I'm going to do to him when we get to Fort Lauderdale. Are you ready to go out there, Adam? It's time for your entrance." The younger man nodded yes, slapping hands with Eddie before turning and heading towards the ring. Taylor kissed her boyfriend's cheek before jogging after Adam, catching up with him as he reached the curtain.

"The following is your TV main event! Introducing first, wrestling out of Panama City, Florida, being accompanied by 'The Real First Lady of ROH' Taylor Ashton, Adam Cole!" The long haired Florida native came from behind the curtain, Taylor behind him. She clapped and smiled, following him to the ring. He sat down on the middle rope to let her through, the two of them watching the curtain for signs of the House of Truth.

"And his opponent, wrestling out of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, being accompanied by Truth Martini, he is 'Unbreakable' Michael Elgin!" The large man came lumbering out to the ring, Truth following behind waving the Book of Truth in everyone's faces. The two men got in the ring, Truth immediately zeroing in Taylor, whom he had earlier humiliated. "What's wrong, Taylor, are you upset that everyone saw your bony little body exposed? To be honest, I don't know what Roderick sees in you. All I see when I look at you is a skinny little bitch!" As he laughed psychotically, Taylor snapped, hauling off and slapping him so hard he stumbled backwards. Adam quickly intervened before things could escalate, getting Taylor out of the ring.

Elgin had defeated Adam and taken the spot to challenge Davey. Taylor hopped in the ring to help up her teammate, but was stopped as Roderick, who had been at ringside, stepped in front of her. Taylor stood her ground, her hazel eyes burning holes in Roderick. But before she could get out an insult, Elgin had grabbed her from behind, picking her up over his shoulders before dropping her to the mat with a powerbomb. The five-foot-five woman laid flat on her back, her long hair covering her face. With the wind knocked out of her and a possible concussion from the force of that powerbomb, Taylor was down and out. Adam was out as well, having been squashed by Elgin earlier. Roderick moved towards the downed girl, but a flash shot in front of him, and then there was Eddie, Taylor in his arms. She was unconcious, and her head rolled to the side when Eddie picked her up off the mat, her arms hanging down like they were made of rubber.

As Eddie carried his girlfriend out, he turned to Roderick, silently telling him with a look of pure hate that he had crossed the line and that he would pay for this at Showdown in the Sun.


	5. Chapter 5: Could This Be The End

March 17th, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Taylor and Eddie arrived at the Du Burns Arena for the show tonight, somewhere between an argument and a plea. "Taylor, you can't compete against that chick tonight." Eddie looked down at his girlfriend, then watched as she looked up, her lips twisted in a snarl. "And pray tell, Mr. Edwards, when exactly you started deciding who I could and couldn't wrestle?" "Taylor..." The burgundy haired girl let go of his hand and managed to get a few steps in front of him, slamming in the arena door. "Taylor Marie Ashton." At the sound of Eddie using her full name, Taylor stopped dead, turning on her heel. "Don't do that, Eddie." "I'll do anything I have to do to keep you safe." Taylor walked up to him, pointing her finger. "Look, Mr. Bodyguard, do you think I got where I am by letting people tell me I can't? You and I are currently two of the top stars of ROH, and we HAVE to wrestle to stay that way! Now I don't care if I win or lose tonight, I'm going to go out there and kick ass, because that's my JOB! Nothing, not even you, is going to stand in the way of me beating the living hell out of Miko Higurashi." She smiled. "Now please, Eddie, just trust me. I know what I'm doing, and I'll try not to get hurt. But you have to promise me you'll stay away from ringside. I don't want you helping me. Only if Roderick or Elgin or Truth come out, then you can come and help me. Promise?" Eddie nodded, then hugged his girlfriend close to him. "You know I just want to protect you, Taylor." "I know, Eddie, but I'm twenty seven years old, and I can take care of myself."

As they turned to head to the locker room, Jim Cornette walked up, followed by a blonde in a black pantsuit, a WWE T-shirt, and red stilettos. "Eddie, Taylor, I'd like you to meet Lauren McMahon. She's a talent scout from WWE." The couple shook hands with the young woman, who looked to be no more than 24 or 25. "It's nice to meet the two of you, especially you, Taylor. I've heard wonderful things about you." Turning to Jim and Eddie, she smiled. "Do you gentlemen mind if we talk in private?" Taking the hint, the two men turned and walked off, Lauren turning back to Taylor. The blonde reached in her bag and pulled out a thick stack of stapled papers with TALENT CONTRACT written across the top. "Now Miss Ashton, my father has seen your work, and he sent me here to offer you a contract with WWE. You would be sent to FCW, and once you succeded there, we would call you up to the main roster. But there is one detail I'm sure you won't be happy about." Taylor's happy expression fell off her face, knowing that most likely the detail was that she'd have to leave Eddie behind. "You would have to cease all ties with ROH, which means you would no longer be allowed to wrestle here with your boyfriend Mr. Edwards." Taylor's heart skipped a beat. No ROH? No Eddie? She'd always dreamed of getting signed with WWE, but now she was seriously doubting it. Was getting to wrestle on a national stage worth losing the love of her life over? She knew that if she went to WWE, she would never get to see Eddie anymore, which meant their relationship would end. Was this contract worth flushing almost two years of her life, her whole relationship with Eddie, down the drain?

"Can I think about it?" Her voice cracked, her emotions getting the better of her. Lauren smiled a sympathetic smile. "Of course. Take all the time you need. Here's my number, just give me a call when you make your decision." Lauren handed her a buisness card and Taylor gave a half hearted smile. "Thank you." Her voice was quiet as she watched Lauren walk away. When the McMahon disappeared around the corner, Taylor dropped into the nearest chair and started crying. Lauren's buisness card lay in her lap, and Taylor stared at the small pink and black piece of paper as if it would tell her what to do. Suddenly, arms wrapped around her, and she looked up to see Eddie hugging her. "What's wrong, Taylor?" "She offered me a contract. But if I take it, I'd have to leave you." Eddie looked in his girlfriend's eyes, smiling softly. "Babe, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get ahead." Taylor burst into a fresh round of tears. "But what about you, and Adam, and Victoria? I can't leave all of you!" "Taylor, like you told me earlier, you have to trust us. We can do it on our own. You have to do what's best for you before you can do what's best for everyone else." This seemed to calm Taylor down, and she sat up. "Thanks, Eddie. I love you." "Love you too, Taylor."

While Eddie left to go change into his ring gear and locate Adam, Taylor pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, dialing Lauren's number. "Hello?" "Yes, is this Lauren McMahon?" "Yes it is." "This is Taylor Ashton, we just spoke." "Yes, Miss Ashton, did you make your decision?" Taylor took a deep breath. "Yes, I did. As much as I appreciate your offer, Miss McMahon, I have to say no. Being here in Ring of Honor with my friends and Eddie, it means too much to me to just give it all up. I would rather stay here for the rest of my life than lose the family that I've acquired." There was a brief pause, and then Lauren spoke. "Very well, Miss Ashton, I'll let my father know. I would like you to know that I wish you the best in all that you have to do, and I'll definitely have to start watching ROH more often. Goodbye." "Bye." Taylor hung up the phone, smiling to herself. The right decision wasn't so hard when the answer was right in front of your face.


	6. Chapter 6: Bow Down Before Me

March 17th, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Taylor stared at her reflection in the mirror, adjusting her top. The door creaked behind her, and she turned to see Victoria. "Hey Vic!" The two girls hugged, Victoria flopping down into the chair beside Taylor. "So how about Kyle's mad at Adam and Eddie now." Taylor raised her eyebrows. "Why, I thought he was cool." The blonde shook her head. "Nope. He says he doesn't respect Eddie or Kyle because they let Davey and him carry the American Wolves and Future Shock." Taylor spun from the mirror. "Please, he's so weak he can barely carry his pants on his waist, much less a tag team!" Victoria cracked up, nearly falling out of the chair. When she managed to regain her composure, she scanned Taylor's outfit for the night. A purple bedazzled halter top hugged all of her curves, paired with matching shorts and black knee high wrestling boots. Her long red hair was in a mess of curls, which she was carefully combing out for a perfectly undone look. When she finished, she turned to Victoria. "Do I look okay?" The blonde nodded. "You look great. Are you gonna wrestle Miko?" Taylor shook her head. "Apparently not. Jim came in here earlier and told me that she hasn't showed and I got taken off the card, unless she shows up. But I dressed anyway just because I felt like wearing this outfit." Victoria nodded, then noticed that Taylor's shorts read 'Die Hard' across the back in silver glitter letters.

When Taylor noticed Victoria's questioning look, she looked at her back. "What?" "Do you always find some way to have your gear say Die Hard or Edwards?" Taylor nodded. "I do that as a symbol of my love for him." Victoria attempted to cover her mouth, but a giggle escaped before she could. "What? Why is that funny?" The blonde stood up, widening her eyes like a lovesick girl. "Oh, my love for him! It's like a million stars!" Then she collapsed back into the chair in a fit of giggles. Taylor playfully punched her friend's arm. "Come on, walk with me, let's go find someone to annoy." Victoria stood up and laughed again. "What, are you in love with me now? Are your pants going to start reading Lawson now?" "Victoria, shut the fuck up and come on." The two girls headed out of the lockerroom, both still laughing.

As they walked, they were suddenly stopped by Kyle O'Reilly, Victoria's Team Ambition teammate. The blonde's forehead wrinkled, signaling her obvious anger at Kyle for his earlier words. "Victoria, where were you? You were supposed to be out there with me on commentary!" Victoria threw her hand up in Kyle's face, raising an eyebrow as if asking him who he thought he was talking to. "Excuse me, O'Reilly, I'm not a dog for you to be fucking screaming at. I wasn't out there with you because I was in a meeting with Davey talking about what we're gonna do at Showdown in the Sun, which is where you were supposed to be too, not yapping about how you don't respect Eddie Edwards and Adam Cole." The blonde cocked her head to the side as Kyle stared into her eyes. "How Richards ever let you in Team Ambition, I'll never know." That insult snapped Victoria's patience, and she backed Kyle up to the wall. "Look here, you little bitch, I've been around here a lot longer than you have, and I'll still be here long after you're gone! So I suggest you get off the high horse you're riding and learn to respect people with more experience than you, because otherwise you're gonna get your ass stomped until someone makes you learn." Taylor's eyes widened as she watched Victoria chew out the young rookie. She'd honestly never seen Victoria so mad, not even with Miko. Kyle seemed to push every button Victoria had. When the blonde finished her tirade and stepped back, there was an intense staredown between her and Kyle.

Davey appeared between the two of them, seemingly from nowhere, and pushed them apart. "What in the hell are you two doing? You're supposed to be acting like a team, not two pit bulls." Victoria stepped back, then turned to Davey. "I'm tired of Bitch Boy here running his damn mouth. Like Adam said out there, he's been whining and bitching for too long. Nothing ever suits him!" The blonde stopped short as an idea formed in her mind. "You know what, Kyle? How about you wrestle me next week?" The young man thought a minute, then smiled. "Challenge accepted. See you on Saturday." The two turned and stalked off in opposite directions. Taylor and Davey turned to each other. "Hey Davey, what just happened?" "Taylor, I think you just saw what is the beginning of World War III."


	7. Chapter 7: The Better Woman

March 17th

Ring of Honor Wrestling

"The following bout is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, wrestling out of Las Vegas, Nevada, being accompanied by Victoria Lawson, Eddie Edwards, and Adam Cole, she is the Queen of ROH, Taylor Ashton!" The 5'5" burgundy haired woman came strutting out from behind the curtain to the sound of 'Let It Rock', wearing her purple attire. She paused at the end of the ramp, putting one hand on her hip and soaking all the cheers from the crowd. Her long curled hair shone in the lights, bouncing around her face as she climbed the steel steps and then went to step between the top and middle rope. She paused, smiling at the crowd before stepping all the way through and throwing up the peace signs. She was followed by her best friend, her boyfriend, and her teammate, who all gathered supportively on her side of the ring.

Her music was suddenly cut off by 'Wonder Woman' by Namie Amuro, but Miko didn't appear at the curtain. Instead, Roderick Strong, Truth Martini, and Cassandra Delgado walked out in a close-together group, making their way to the ring while watching Taylor and her backup. Roderick was the one who had the bravery to get in the ring and face Taylor. "So I see you brought backup this time, Taylor?" His statement came out as a question, as if he couldn't believe she didn't trust them enough to come alone. Taylor smirked. "Oh, Roddy, you act so innocent. I know you, I know your little games, and I also know you have this stupid little "crush" thing on me. You must think I'm stupid, but you're wrong. I'm much smarter than you, and don't you forget it!" With that, she turned around to watch for Miko, leaving Roderick to stare at the back of her head (well, the back of her, anyways). The referee stepped in, escorting Roderick out of the ring. Then suddenly Taylor was blindsided as Miko came from the crowd, planting both fists in her back and knocking her to the ground. The House of Truth cheered from ringside, clapping like golf fans. Miko, meanwhile, bent through the ropes to get in a dig at Victoria. "Now Kyle hates you, huh? I guess next Davey'll hate you and you can finally go back to your street corner!" When the blonde reached for her, Eddie and Adam managed to hold her back, knowing Victoria's temper would get Taylor disqualified.

Miko smirked, happy with her work, and turned back to Taylor. The taller woman was still down, her head having slammed into the mat when she was pushed down with all the force Miko had put into the hit. Miko grabbed two handfuls of burgundy hair, pulling Taylor to her feet. "Who's the big bad bitch now, huh, Ashton?" The crowd boo'ed at Miko's trash talk before the Japanese woman threw Taylor down backwards to the mat using her hair. So far Taylor was having no luck, but she quickly got her head in the game, thanks to a little support from her cheering section. The 5'5" woman got on her feet, driving her boot-clad foot into Miko's abs with so much force that Miko stumbled backwards into the turnbuckle. Taylor got a running start, then jumped up and grabbed Miko around the neck, getting her knees under Miko's chin and pulling her down. The impact of her double knee facebreaker sent a shock through Miko, stars flashing in front of her eyes. The sound of her earlier words began ringing in Taylor's ears, and the taller girl stared at her opponent with cold eyes as Miko's insults flooded her mind. "Eddie will be keeping Kelly...entertained...sex tape" were echoing in Taylor's head, and all the insults, every name Miko had ever called her came back in a rush. The girl's smug face flashed in front of her eyes, then Roderick, Truth, Elgin, Cassandra, they all floated into view.

A hot burning rose in her chest, and all of sudden, Taylor realized she hated Miko. Everything she'd done since she arrived here, Taylor hated her for it. Having never experienced this type of emotion towards someone before, she stood there a moment before doing the only thing one can do in such situations.

She snapped. Completely.

Grabbing two handfuls of Miko's hair, Taylor tossed Miko out of the ring headfirst, the young woman crashing into the cold hard steel guardrail. Every member of both girls' sides stared, wondering just what the hell was going on. With Miko down, Taylor stood on the ring apron outside the ropes, then dove off and slammed Miko back first into the steel rail again with a suicide dive. The risky move was followed by a flurry of hard kicks, each of which made a solid sound when Taylor's foot connected with Miko's body. The Japanese girl tried to huddle away from Taylor, then managed to push her away briefly. Getting to her knees, Miko reached for Taylor, trying to catch a hold on anything she could to get the upper hand. She found Taylor's star necklace around her neck, an anniversary gift from Eddie in 2011 on their first anniversary as a couple. The next thing either of them knew, Taylor's necklace was off her neck and in Miko's hand. The burgundy haired girl touched her sore neck, her slender fingers searching for the worn silver chain the diamond star hung on. When no chain was found, Taylor looked down, and her hazel eyes lighted on Miko's hand closed around the star. The enraged girl snatched the necklace from her and dropped it on the ring apron, then grabbed Miko's hair and pulled her to the steel steps. With this leverage, she slammed Miko's face into the steel steps, a loud thunk echoing in the arena.

This was repeated five more times until the referee intervened. Both females were forced back into the ring, where Taylor Irish Whipped Miko into the corner, then followed it up with a dropkick, both her feet forcing the air out of Miko's lungs. With Miko down, Taylor dropped to her knees, catching her breath before again going after her hated opponent. Before she could again hit Miko, the downed girl grabbed Taylor's ankle and tripped her, dropping Taylor face first into the turnbuckle. Taylor lay there limp, her hand feebly checking her nose. She didn't (or couldn't, no telling which) put up a fight when Miko grabbed her hair, pulling her up to her feet. The Japanese girl kicked Taylor in the leg, again sending her to the mat before rolling her onto her stomach and grabbing her leg. Miko then proceeded to put Taylor in her own submission (and Eddie's as well), the single leg Boston Crab. Taylor was facing the House of Truth as she was being held in this submission, and the unthinkable happened when the referee turned away to deal with Cassandra, who was most presumably distracting him so Miko could do something illegal.

Roderick Strong reached under the bottom rope, grabbing Taylor's outstretched hand (she'd been reaching for the rope) and dragging her to the bottom rope, then wrapping her hand around it. He was immediately descended upon by Truth Martini with words of reprimand, but didn't seem to care. For some odd reason, Roderick still harbored an affection for Taylor, and although he'd embarassed her that one time (AKA last week), he still lit up a light whenever she came around.

Miko saw this traitorious act, and she had to fight the urge to claw Roderick's eyes out as she yelled unintelligible things at him in Japanese. Taylor was still clutching the bottom rope, and she threw a faint smile in Roderick's direction in seeming thanks, then got to her feet while Miko was still screaming. Taylor silently climbed to the top rope, then waited patiently until Miko turned back around. Then she let out a banshee scream, flying off the turnbuckle and hitting Miko with the Die Beautiful, her finishing double knee facebreaker from the top rope. The move took Miko down quickly and easily, letting Taylor get the pin. The crowd burst into cheers as Taylor's hand was raised in victory. But before any more celebrating could be done, Miko snuck up behind Taylor and dropped her to the mat with a hard kick to the back of the head, then dragged her out of the ring. Before anyone could intervene and stop Miko, she'd thrown Taylor face first into the steel steps, then hit a running big boot and further meshed Taylor's face with the steel. Truth and Michael Elgin finally managed to drag her away from Taylor, who was helped up by Adam and Eddie. Victoria retrieved her friend's broken necklace off the ring apron, then followed the others backstage. Taylor stopped a minute and turned to look at Miko, showing off her bloody lip and nose, the area around her eyes looking dark, meaning she would most certainly have a black eye. She winked at Miko, just to say this wasn't over, before letting her boyfriend and teammate lead her backstage.

Meanwhile, Miko had a microphone and the rest of the House of Truth was in the ring, all of them in a circle with Roderick in the middle. Miko stepped up to him, looking up to look him in the face. "What in the hell were you doing? What was that, pulling her to the ropes?" Roderick stared at her indignantly. "I won't apologize, Miko. I did what I had to do. I love her." Miko face palmed. "My God, what is it with everyone around here loving people they can't have? First Cornette's pole-swinging daughter is lusting after that sap Eddie Edwards, and now you want to get in Taylor freaking Ashton's pants? You all must be losing your damn minds!" Roderick rolled his eyes before rolling out of the ring. The members of the House of Truth looked at each other before looking at Roderick. What in the hell was going on? First Kyle O'Reilly got an attitude and Team Ambition was falling apart, and now the HOT was going to pieces too? Ring of Honor was in a total state of chaos, and no one had not one damn idea as to what was going on.


	8. Chapter 8: Welcome To Hell

Jim Cornette had caught up with Taylor, and he'd offered her a new job. She'd be taking a rookie under her wing, to teach her how things worked in ROH. After lots of consideration, Taylor accepted. She met Jim at the arena to meet this new girl, Eddie in tow. Jim shook hands with Taylor and Eddie, then smiled. "I'm glad to see two of my top stars. Now, Taylor, I just want to thank you for taking this young lady under your wing. She's very talented, and we hope that with your help, she'll be a productive member of the ROH roster." He turned to his office door, motioning at someone. "Kelly, come meet Taylor." A girl with thick blonde hair, about 5'2", came out of the room, smiling softly. "This is Kelly Cornette, my daughter!" Taylor's jaw dropped at the revelation. She was going to have to train Jim's DAUGHTER? With the introductions made, Jim turned and went into his office, leaving the three of them alone.

Taylor held her hand out to Kelly, and the blonde shook it, but she wasn't looking at Taylor. She was staring directly at Eddie, who was sitting behind them with his phone in hand. Taylor called her name, but Kelly seemed so focused on Taylor's boyfriend that she didn't hear her. Okay, Taylor, calm down. This will all be over soon. Taylor's words to herself echoed in her mind. Then she ignored those words and pulled Kelly close to her with their still-clasped hands. "Stay away from Eddie." In a raspy voice, Taylor whispered these words in Kelly's ear, giving the girl a death glare. The blonde girl seemed to finally hear Taylor, her brown eyes going wide as they stared into Taylor's fiery hazel ones. She nodded, then shook her hand to get the blood flowing after being held in Taylor's death grip. "I'm here to train, Taylor, not steal your man. Although, I'm sure that if I wanted to, he'd be in my possesion so fast your head would spin. And remember, you can't do anything to hurt me, because my dad can FIRE you!"

Taylor stood there a moment, staring at the blonde girl before turning and planting her fist firmly in the wall, leaving a dent. Eddie nearly tripped over his own feet getting up out of the chair, startled by the sound of Taylor's outburst. She stormed by him, towards the door, simply muttering "My life is hell!" over and over again. Confused, Eddie simply asked the only question he knew to ask.

"Are you PMS'ing?"


	9. Chapter 9: You'll Be The Prey

March 30th

Showdown in the Sun

Taylor stood ringside, watching intently the match between Eddie, Davey, and Roderick for the World Championship. Truth Martini stood across from her, calling out insults to her. She wore a sherbert orange cropped tube top with matching tights tucked into her knee high black motorcycle boots, orange arm sleeves that ended at her wrists with black mesh fingerless gloves over them, and a black studded belt. Her top had 'Die Hard' written on the front in support of her boyfriend, and it was looking like he needed all the support he could get.

He had been nearly knocked out by a furious kick from Davey, and now the American Wolf and Roderick were fighting. Truth walked around the ring to get in Taylor's face. "You skanky whore, you're just as much of an embarassment to ROH as your loser boyfriend is!" Taylor took a deep breath, trying to ignore him. Over the past few weeks, he'd insulted her, humiliated her (along with Roderick), and she'd just about reached her breaking point with him. He pushed her, and finally she snapped. Spinning around at breakneck speed, she exploded. "You wanna talk about losers? Let's talk about you and your boyfriend Strong! The two of you are the biggest losers here! You especially, because you'd still be moonlighting as Elvis in Vegas if management hadn't dragged you in off the street!" Truth laughed his evil laugh. "Like they dragged you in off the stripper pole?" Fed up, Taylor backed up a step, then used the ring apron to push herself up and knock Truth out with an enzugiri. During this, she was too distracted to see Davey get the win, and when she turned around she only saw Eddie and Roderick in the ring, Davey outside with his hand raised in victory.

Taylor knelt beside Eddie, her hand slipping in his as he tried to clear the haze from his head. She knew he'd be in serious pain by the time they got to the hotel, so she attempted to gently get him on his feet. "Come on, Eddie, get up." The silver barbell in her ear got caught when Roderick and Truth abruptly pulled her to her feet, each hooking one of her arms under theirs and dragging her out of the ring. The redhead fought violently, trying to escape. Suddenly a blonde flash ran by her, sliding in the ring to Eddie. At first, Taylor thought it was Victoria, but then the flash materialized as a demon disguised as a 5'2" blonde and going by the name Kelly Cornette. The younger girl threw Eddie's arm over her shoulder, getting him up on his feet. They held her in place until Kelly had Eddie through the curtain, Taylor screaming at the top of her lungs calling Roderick, Truth, and Kelly every name in the book that she could think of.

Kelly didn't know it yet, but Taylor would get her revenge for this, and it would be ten times worse than anything Kelly thought she could dish out.

The pure rage that surged through Taylor gave her strength to get away from the House of Truth.


	10. Chapter 10: We Started This, We End It

March 31st

Showdown in the Sun

"The following match is scheduled for one fall and is a Fight Without Honor! First, wrestling out of Mobile, Alabama, Victoria Lawson!" 'Out Here All Night' by Damone broadcast through the arena speakers, bringing forth the blonde. She came alone tonight, but the support of her teammates and best friend on her shoulders. Wearing a metallic blue vest that stretched to cover her chest, laces holding it together, black tights with blue-trimmed cutouts on the sides, black boots that reached her shins, and her long blonde hair up in a slick ponytail, she felt ready for whatever Miko might throw at her. Victoria made her way to the ring, slapping hands with her loyal fans along the way. Once inside the ropes, she cracked her neck as she prepared for what would surely be one of the hardest matches of her life.

"And her opponent, wrestling out of Tokyo, Japan, Miko Higurashi!" 'Wonder Woman' by Namie Amuro hit the arena as the boos nearly drowned it out, Miko making her way out. She wore a silver top that showed off her curves, matching tights tucked into her black boots, her long hair cascading down her back. She stared at her rival as she pulled herself up onto the ring apron, then stepped through the ropes. She had planned for this match, knowing Victoria would pull out all the stops, and so would she. Per both women's requests, all weapons would be allowed, and Miko planned to use them.

The bell rang as the two women stepped out of their corners, eyes narrowed and chins jutted out in confidence. Being a Fight Without Honor match, handshaking was not required, but it was not expected anyway. There was too much hate in the ring for it. There was a moment of hesitation before they locked up, Victoria getting the upper hand and kicking Miko soundly in her gut. The blonde slid out of the ring, producing a steel chain. The crowd cheered as she got back in the ring, walking over to Miko, who by now was back up. Victoria momentarily dropped the chain on the mat, then Irish whipped Miko into the turnbuckle. She immediately followed it up with a few well placed knife edge chops, then returned to her chain. Wrapping one end securely around her fist, she held the other end in her other hand and hooked the chain around Miko's throat, forming a loop. Victoria pulled up, choking Miko. The smaller girl flailed wildy like a caught fish, struggling for breath. Her hands clutched at the cold steel, but Victoria's grip was firm. The blonde had an insane look on her face, her teeth bared like a bulldog's. Somehow Miko managed to drag herself to the ropes, grabbing the bottom cable like a life line. The ref forced Victoria to let go, and the blonde waited until the count hit four to comply.

Miko grabbed her throat with both hands, sucking in deep breaths to try and get air back in her body. She watched from the corner of her eye as Victoria again exited the ring, this time acquiring a steel chair. As Victoria pulled herself up on the ring apron, Miko hurriedly scrambled to her feet, using her speed to quickly dropkick the chair into Victoria's face and send the blonde crashing into the guardrail. There was a sickening sound that echoed in the arena as Victoria crumpled in a heap, her hands clenching into fists. Miko took the advantage, catapaulting herself over the top rope and onto Victoria. Both women hit the outside mat, just laying there with all their energy and adrenaline gone. The referee began the count, neither woman moving the first few seconds. At five, Victoria grabbed the top of the guardrail, struggling to get her feet back under her. She received good luck pats on the back from the front row fans who could reach her, and this again pushed her to keep going. Miko was halfway up, managing to make it to her knees. Victoria walked over and threw Miko in the ring, then climbed to the top rope. Waiting until the Japanese girl managed to locate her, Victoria then jumped, catching Miko with a quick DDT.

As Victoria drove Miko into the canvas with the DDT, a sudden hot pain shot through her left shoulder. Her fingers went to gently prod the area, and she felt the bone was akwardly pushing toward her neck. It felt dislocated, maybe worse. She quickly grabbed her own wrist and jerked her arm forward harshly, sending waves of pain through her body. But it was either pull it back into place or have it broken. Once her shoulder was taken care of, she went for the pin. "One!...Two!-" Miko wasn't down yet, and she thew her shoulder up. Victoria ran her hands through her hair, frustrated. Miko rolled over onto her stomach, managing to sit up on her knees as she held her head. Victoria went to grab her by the arm, but Miko avoided it by slapping Victoria across the face. She jumped on her feet, then followed up with a stiff kick to Victoria's injured shoulder. The blonde fell down, screaming and clutching her shoulder. Miko added another kick for good measure, then twisted Victoria's arm behind her back with a hammerlock. She kicked the back of Victoria's knee, sending her to her knees. Pulling up farther on Victoria's arm, Miko smiled. "This is what you get for being part of Team Ambition!" Victoria clenched her jaw, trying to keep the building tears from falling.

The crowd began a 'Victoria!' chant, giving the blonde enough momentum to throw her elbow back into Miko's abs, finally getting enough room to twist away and soundly kick Miko in her thigh. The girl stumbled back, giving Victoria the oppourtunity to clothesline her to the mat. She again hooked her leg, ready to end this. "One!...Two!..." Miko again kicked out, Victoria's frustration level rising. She got on her feet, about to grab Miko again when a wolf howl filled the arena. Her head shot up, looking around for who she knew that music belonged to. Miko saw this, and a smirk crossed her face. She quickly took advantage, sneaking up behind her and jumping up. She planted her knees in Victoria's back, pulling her back into a double knee backbreaker. The blonde collapsed into a heap as Miko hooked her leg. "One!...Two!...Three!" She jumped up and smirked at the crowd. She had just knocked off their idol, the blonde slut who was more focused on Davey Richards than competition. Stupid bitch.

As Miko left the ring, Victoria had managed to get up, her hand clutching her back. She bared her teeth, anger surging through her. Damn it! Who was responsible for playing Davey's music? She'd find out on Saturday, and they would pay dearly.


	11. Chapter 11: What The Heart Wants

April 7th, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Miko sat by herself backstage, her knees drawn up and her chin resting in her hands. She was deep in thought, thinking about how it bothered her so much that Roderick was hopelessly in love with Taylor Ashton. She'd talked about love on the video wire last week, and she was pretty sure everyone watching could see and probably feel the tension that had been there when he'd walked in the room.

As she stood up and stretched, anxious to do something to get out her nerves and energy, who should walk up but the redheaded she-devil herself. She was dressed down in jeans and an ROH T-shirt, not yet ready for the show. When she saw Miko, she hesitated, but when Miko didn't start screaming at her, Taylor approached cautiously. The akwardness between the two girls was obvious, but Taylor swallowed her pride and nervously smiled. "Hey Miko." "Hi Taylor." There was an air of coldness in her voice, not the normal hatred that was there when she said Taylor's name. "Miko, are you okay?" The Japanese girl snapped around. "No, you man-stealing whore, I'm not." Taylor raised her eyebrows. "Hold on, what do you mean, man stealing? I haven't stolen anybody's man." Miko's eyes were fiery when she looked into Taylor's hazel eyes. "You're stealing Roderick from me and don't even realize it."

Taylor's jaw hit the floor. "You...You like Roderick?" Miko snorted through her nose. "What is this, sixth grade? I don't "like" him, as you say. I love him. But he loves you and you don't even love him back." Taylor's eyes were wide as she scanned Miko's face, hearing the emotion that backed her statement. Taylor's pixie chin jutted out as she stood up straighter, something evil in her glad that she now had this knowledge of a weakness in Miko. "It's not my fault if he has a taste for real women and not psychotic little girls." The redhead seemed more confident now, and a condescending smirk crossed her face. Miko was slightly shocked at the way Taylor was acting, never have known her to say anything like that to a fellow wrestler once they were out of the ring. Before either woman could say another word, Roderick walked up. Miko stared into Taylor's eyes, holding the redhead's gaze. The staredown broke when Roderick turned to Taylor. "Hey Taylor, can I talk to you for a second?" "Sure." She turned on the heel of her Converse high tops and followed Roderick a little ways down the hallway, Miko pretending to walk away but just standing around the corner. She could hear loud and clear their conversation, and she peeked around the corner so she could see the action. "So about what we talked about earlier..." Taylor was leaning back against the wall, Roderick standing in front of her with one hand on the wall beside her. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought they were a couple. Roderick was staring lovingly into Taylor's hazel eyes, and she was smiling softly back.

"Yeah, I thought about what you told me. I don't know what I think about it yet, but I'll have to talk to Eddie." At the mention of Eddie, Roderick's face fell. "Taylor, don't you think you could just not mention it to Edwards?" A mixed expression crossed Taylor's face as she looked down at the floor, hesitation, excitement, and something unidentifiable present. She sighed before looking back at Roderick, smiling a little at the hopeful expression on his face. "Fine. I'll do it. Let our secret plan begin." Roderick had a full grin on his face by now, and Miko felt her blood boil as he took Taylor's hands in his. "Who knows, you might push Miko and Cassandra straight out the door." Taylor giggled before winking. "I gotta go get ready, but see you later." She turned and walked off, Roderick staring after her. Miko quickly stepped back deeper into the shadows as Taylor walked directly by her, holding her breath to keep from being discovered. A lone tear fell down her face, but she quickly wiped it away. Taylor Ashton and her bitch attitude certainly wasn't worth crying over. She finally worked up the courage to walk out of the corner and make her way down the hall, making it a point to go past Roderick. He didn't say a word, but Miko couldn't help herself. She stopped and turned to face her teammate.

"Roderick, I hope you realize what you're getting yourself into with her." Roderick raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Ya know, Miko, I don't know why I'm about to waste my time telling you this, but I will anyway. I've loved Taylor since the day she walked in the door and announced that she was Taylor Ashton and she would kick anybody's ass, man or woman, that got in her way." Miko had to fight the urge to slap him. Roderick was acting just like Kelly Cornette, if she had to say it. He was lusting after Taylor the same way Kelly lusted after Eddie. What was it about both of them that made everyone want them? Looking back up, she felt hot tears again sting her eyes. "Roderick...I...I-" Roderick cut her off. "Yeah, I know, Miko. You hate her beyond anything. I know. And I don't care." He turned and walked off, Miko finally letting the tears fall down her face, her last words coming out as a whisper.

"Roderick...I love you."


	12. Chapter 12: Poker Face

April 7th, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

The crowd in the Du Burns Arena started cheering as Victoria Lawson made her way to the ring, 'Out Here All Night' playing in the background. She wore a black bra with a white halter top over it, a studded clip holding it together in front, tight fitting jeans with a black belt and a studded flower belt buckle, pink mesh fingerless gloves, and a bullet necklace. Her long platinum blonde hair fluttered in the breeze she stirred as she walked, and she brushed her bangs out of her face. Anger still poured through her over the loss to Miko in Florida, and she intended to find out who had ordered Davey's music played. She grabbed a microphone on her way in the ring, then stepped between the ropes.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm not out here to run my mouth. I'm just here for whoever in the hell decided it would be funny to ruin my match in Florida. All I'm asking for is for whoever you are to have enough decency to come out here and face me like the man or woman you are." She stepped back and leaned on the ropes as she stared intently at the curtain, ready to find out who it was. Suddenly, 'Invincible' by Adelitas Way poured through the speakers, and Victoria raised an eyebrow. She'd never heard the music before, and her eyes widened when Taylor appeared. The redhead wore black tight fitting jeans, a silver belt, a black sequined bra under a matching three-quarter-length-sleeved shirt, black knee high platform boots with chains on them, and a pink cross hanging around her neck. She kept a straight face as she stepped in the ring, Victoria's jaw hovering on the floor. Finally managing to use her words, Victoria narrowed her eyes at Taylor in disbelief. "Taylor? You were the one who ruined the match?" The redhead nodded. "Yeah, Vic, it was me. But I have a good reason." Victoria scoffed. "Then please, tell me. I'd love to know why you sabotaged me." Taylor held up a finger. "Now wait a minute, Tori. I didn't sabotage you. I did it for your own good."

Taylor took a step back, looking at the crowd with a raised eyebrow. "Now as I'm sure, you've all noticed that Victoria has become increasingly obsessed with beating Miko to death and proving she was the better woman in this company. But she was also preoccupied with Davey Richards." With that, she spun on her heel to face Victoria. "You are in love with him, I know it. But anyway, that's not the point. You were losing your mind. Beating Miko and getting with Davey took over. You and I both know that if you would have won that match, you would have gone crazy and gotten so egotistical no one would know you. You losing to Miko was the only way, Victoria, to put you out of your misery." Taylor gave Victoria a genuine smile. "Please don't hate me, Tori. I did what I had to do to save my best friend from being fired or going to jail."

Victoria looked down at her boots as she bit down on her bottom lip. How could her best friend do something like this to her? Sucking in a deep breath, she looked back at Taylor. To her surprise, Taylor was no longer smiling. In fact, she had a look of pure hate on her face. Without warning, Taylor reached out and slapped Victoria down to the mat. Acting on the surprise, she scaled to the top rope before hitting Victoria with her finisher, the Die Beautiful. The blonde crumpled to the mat, out like a light. Taylor squatted down beside her unconscious friend/ former friend, smirking evilly. "Funny thing, I lied. I played Davey's music. I knew you'd lose. That's why I did it, Vic. Your little fight with Miko has taken TV time away from me. I'm the fucking Queen of ROH, bitch!" Taylor pushed herself up to her feet, pushing Victoria with her foot. "That's what you get, honey, when you go after a man that's NEVER going to love you as anything more than a slut he throws dollar bills at."

Taylor slipped out of the ring, throwing up the rock on horns as she walked backwards up the entrance way, turning as she walked through the curtain. The crowd booed unceasingly as she did so, new venom building for Taylor. She'd rubbed them the wrong way, and it would take a lot for her to gain their trust back.


	13. Chapter 13: Bella Vita

Roderick was at his wit's end. His pursuit of Taylor seemed to be heading in the right direction, but there was forever something or someone coming in the way of having his angel. So he called in reinforcement, two men who would get Taylor to be Roddy's woman, no matter what they had to do.

Alex and Chris appeared outside of Roderick's locker room after the show, trading shoves as they waited for their friend. After a few minutes, Alex kicked the door sharply. "Roderick! Hurry the fuck up! I don't have all day to play Cupid!" Finally the door opened, and Roderick stepped out. "Alex, I almost wish that door had kicked you back. I don't know how Chris stands you without wanting to strangle you." Alex scoffed. "Look, do you want me to get you with this chick or not?" Seeing the defeated expression on Roddy's face, he smirked. "Exactly, that's what I thought." The three began heading for the exit. Alex suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, causing Roderick and Chris to turn and look at him. "Lex, what are you doing?" Alex pointed down the hallway, at a girl with her back to them, stuffing clothes in her bag. "Who's she?" Roderick turned his head to look, his breath hitching when the girl's long red hair came into view. "That, my friends, is Taylor Ashton." Alex's eyes went wide. "That's the girl you're trying to get with?" Roderick nodded.

"Holy fuck, she's hot." Roderick punched Alex's shoulder. "Forget about it, Alex. She's mine." Chris spoke up from behind the two of them. "Actually I thought we were here to make her yours. To my understanding the only thing you've done to entice her to you is pull all her clothes off in the middle of the ring and expose her to millions on television." Involuntarily Roderick's fist clenched by his side. He didn't like to be reminded of that incident with Taylor. It was one the few moments that he, Roderick Strong, infamous for never being ashamed of anything he did, was ashamed and regretful of what he'd done to her, by order of Truth Martini. He'd apologized to her, and she'd accepted, but he still felt guilty about it. The ache in his chest made it hard to breathe, but apruptly a hand slapped the back of his head. "Yo, Earth to Roddy! Dude, where are you?" Roderick blinked and turned to see Chris and Alex giving him funny looks. "Look, can you just do whatever it is you said you would?" Alex smiled mischeviously. "Of course. I'll be right back." He ran his fingers through his fauxhawk, straightening his hair, then adjusted his shirt and walked off in Taylor's direction. Chris laughed. "I swear that bastard is more vain than any woman I know."

Roderick didn't answer, instead watching as Alex walked up behind Taylor and tapped her on the shoulder. She straightened and turned to face Alex, smiling. "Hi. Can I help you?" "Yes, you most certainly can. My name is Alex Shelley, I'm Roderick's friend. Now my buddy Roddy would like for you to accompany him, myself, and Chris Sabin out tonight. Would you be interested?" Taylor smirked. "Only if I get free drinks for the whole night." Alex nodded. "Done. The whole evening will be conveniently charged to Rod's credit card." Taylor laughed, then shouldered her bag. "Let's go." The redhead followed Alex back down the hall to where Roddy and Chris stood, hugging Chris, having known him for years. She turned to Roderick, who looked increasingly uncomfortable under the hot gaze of her hazel eyes. "Hey Roderick." When she received no reply, she turned to Alex. "I'm gonna go drop my bag off in my car, and I'll meet you guys wherever we're going. Where are we going?" Alex looked up from his phone. "That bar down the street, Castaways." Taylor nodded. "See you there."

The redhead walked away towards the garage, the soft scent of green apple perfume she left behind apparently snapping Roderick out of his trance. Alex further helped the process by punching Roderick in the arm. "Dude, what the hell was that? She was basically undressing you with her eyes and you don't say a damn word." Said 'dude' looked at the floor. "I get nervous around her." Alex shook his head. "Whatever. Let's head out. Maybe you'll respond better to her willingness when you're in the company of other humans." His sarcasm was not lost on Roderick, who slapped him in the back of the head. "Come on and let's leave before I decide to run you over and leave you." Alex scoffed, following Chris and Roderick to their rental car. Chris settled into the driver's seat, knowing there would probably be a fight between Roddy and 'Lex somewhere along the way to the bar and it was probably safer he drove.

By the time they got there, Roddy had worked himself into a state Chris had never seen him in before. And while the thought of Roddy hyperventilating and collapsing in the middle of a street was enough to send him into gales of laughter, he decided it would be easier if Roddy was conscious for this.

"Breath, Roddy. Passing out from fear isn't the best impression that you could make."

"Fuck you, Sabin," Roddy growled, but he tried to relax himself a little bit, so Chris considered it a job well done.

They paused for a second while Roddy collected himself. Chris slanted Alex a look and rolled his eyes when he heard Roddy muttering, "You can do this.", to himself. Alex chuckled and glanced over at the club entrance. "Are we gonna go in or just stand out here and wait for Taylor to magically appear on her knees and proclaim her love for Hot Rod over there?" His comment earned him another glare, but he ignored it. Chris nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I think it'd be best if we actually go inside. I don't think Taylor would appreciate being forced to stand out here in the heat." The Detroit boys headed toward the entrance, Chris finally going back and forcibly dragging Roderick along. "Roderick, you have two feet! Use them." They managed to get him to the entrance and inside the bar, Alex pointing to the booth where Taylor was sitting by herself, watching the people around her and looking decidedly bored to death. She had changed her clothes, now wearing a tight fitting black T-shirt, stonewashed jeans with a studded belt, and her beat up Converse high tops. Dressed simply, yes, but she looked glorious to Roderick.

Chris pushed Roderick forward as the three men approached the table. "Good evening, Miss Ashton." Taylor looked up at the sound of Chris's voice, cracking her signature smile and forming the 'hang loose' motion with her hand. "Aloha." Her flickering eyes settled on Roderick, and the edge of her lips curled up even farther. They all slid into the booth, Roderick and Chris across from her and Alex beside her. Taylor raised her eyebrow. "I came here on the offer of free drinks. I'm assuming one of you is going to do a magic trick and produce them?" Alex raised a hand and beckoned over the nearest waitress. The young woman hurried over, her eyes scanning the group. Hmmm, three guys, one girl. "Can I help you?" Alex smirked. "Yes, we want tequila and beer." The waitress scribbled it down on her notepad, then looked back up. A momentary look of shock crossed her face when she saw both Alex and Taylor had their eyes crossed. "I..Is that all?" "Yes. Hurry off." Alex waved her off. His attention then switched to Chris, a pointed stare boring into Chris. "Well, me and Chris are going to hunt some ladies, right, Sabin?" "Yeah, of course, Shelley. Lead the way." When they had cleared the table, Taylor looked over at a silent Roderick.

"Roderick, are you okay?" Roderick half-smiled. "Yeah, just nervous." "What, about me?" Roderick laughed at Taylor's expression. "A little. What's Edwards gonna say when he finds out you're hanging out alone with me, Sabin, and the notoriously perverted Shelley?" Taylor's smile fell off her face as she looked down at the table. "At this time, Roddy, I don't think he's really gonna care." The sound of her using his nickname almost made him miss the look on her face. She looked beaten down, almost on the verge of getting sick. Roderick leaned over the table, a concerned expression on his face. "Taylor, are you okay?" The redhead looked up at him, her teeth releasing their hold on her bottom lip. "Yeah. But since I know what your next question will be, the reason why I'm pretending to be okay but really am not is because Eddie and I broke up." Roderick's jaw nearly hit the table. "What? Why?" He couldn't grasp why anyone would willingly choose to leave Taylor. The redhead leaned forward, her fingers absently tracing circles on the table top. "Well, after Victoria's match at the pay-per-view and what I did, we got into it about the music thing and a whole bunch of other stuff that had nothing to with it, we both called each other names and said things we shouldn't have, and he told me he couldn't date a girl who would heartlessly betray her best friend, so he was dumping me." She half-heartedly smiled, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, shit happens, ya know?"

Roderick was amazed at how easily she let it roll off her back that her boyfriend of almost two years had just left her and yet here she was, living the single life a week and a half later like it was what she'd been doing the whole time. The waitress arrived back with their drinks, sitting them down. Taylor picked up the shot glass in front of her, waiting until Roderick did the same. "Cheers." They clinked glasses before tilting their heads back and downing the tequila. Suprisingly, she didn't cough or sputter like most girls did when downing straight tequila, instead smiling. She reached for the beer bottle left by the waitress, popping the top off. Pressing the bottle to her lips, she took a long swig, finally setting it back down and wiping the back of her hand over her mouth. "It's freeing, ya know. Being able to do whatever you want without having to ask somebody else their plans. Be spontaneous!" She laughed at her own joke, Roderick laughing as well. It was nice to see Taylor without the wall of resistance she usually had up, inferior to anyone's attention other than Eddie's. She seemed freer, like she'd said, but also more gritty and real. She wasn't the super polished diva she appeared as on TV, now just the girl from Las Vegas he'd fallen in love with four years ago.

For the next hour with no sign of Sabin or Shelley, Roderick and Taylor focused on drinking and talking, the latter becoming less frequent and harder to understand the more they drank. Roderick found Taylor could drink him under the table, her tolerance for alcohol amazing. Somewhere along the line, Alex and Chris showed up again, totally wasted, letting them know they would be leaving with the women they'd met. Roderick sort of ignored them, more focused on Taylor. When the Guns were gone with the two girls they held onto to, Taylor turned back to face Roderick. Her head lifted as 'Drinkin' Me Lonely' by Chris Young invaded the bar from the stereo in the corner, and she half-smiled. "Hey Roddy, do you wanna dance with me?" All she got in return was a blink. Sure, he could dance, but this was a slow song, and the thought of being that close to Taylor, much less a single Taylor, was almost more than his mind could comprehend. But he got up, leading her out on the dance floor among the other people, then taking her hand in his. Her other free hand rested on his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close. They danced, Taylor laying her head on Roderick's shoulder so that he had to let go of her hand and put both arms around her waist. After the second verse, Roderick realized his shirt was wet. Looking down, he saw that Taylor was silently crying, the tears rolling down her face and onto his shirt as she stared into space. Her grip on his shoulders was firm, as if she was holding onto him to keep from falling down. Pretending not to notice, he finished out the song, then used his hand to turn her chin up to look at him. "Let's get outta here, okay?" Taylor wiped the back of her hand under her eyes. "Okay. But not back to the hotel. Let's take a walk." Roderick nodded, willing to do whatever as long as Taylor was okay.

The two left the bar, turning to the left and heading down the sidewalk. Taylor's hand wrapped itself around Roderick's, holding onto him as if he was the last person she had left in the world. She looked lost, broken. And Roderick saw it. Outwardly, she was putting up a shield, a mask that she was fine, that she could care less what the hell Eddie Edwards did. But in this moment, her walls had fallen down around her, and behind them was the real emotion, the real her. Shattered, beat down, heartbroken. Almost two years of her life gone, snatched from under her feet with no preparation, no word of warning. So she was fighting, clinging to anything that had solid roots and would keep her from drowning in her pain. And right now, Roderick was that lifeline. He was there, he'd been there for a long time, there for her. All she had to do was reach out and he'd hold onto her and make her feel safe and secure.

Her hands shook as she moved closer to Roderick as they walked, leaning against his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, knowing that normally he would have been spazzing out over the chance to hold onto the woman of dreams. But not now, not when she was so vulnerable and helpless. Putting his own emotions into this would throw everything off, and he could possibly lose her. So he kept silent as she lowered her head and cried into her hands, the sobs coming from somewhere deep in her chest. Roderick simply held her closer and let her cry. She finally raised her head again, wiping her eyes and looking up to softly smile at Roderick. "Roderick, you don't know how much it means to me for you to be comforting me like this." He smiled back. "No, I don't, Taylor, but I know how much it means to me, so I'll just assume that it means the same to you." Taylor laughed softly, wrapping her arms around Roderick's abs to hug him tightly.

And in that moment, he couldn't have felt more perfect.


	14. Chapter 14: I'm Always There For You

Darkness greeted her when she opened her eyes, the clock telling her it was eight thirty in the morning. Her head was aching, the sure sign of a hangover. She'd apparently been coherent enough to change out of her clothes, now wearing a Ring of Honor T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants she'd cut off into shorts. Taylor brushed her long hair out of her face, slinging her legs off the bed and standing up. She had to take a moment to steady herself, her hand clutching the bed post. When her balance was steady, she headed for the small kitchen in the hotel room, her throat dry as cotton. Along the way, she had to grab the back of the couch for support. She looked down and, much to her surprise, there was Roderick asleep on the couch. She didn't recall them sharing a bed, so she figured he must have slept here all night. Bending down in front of him, she shook his shoulders. "Rod...Roddy...RODERICK!" The first two times she called him she whispered, but the last time she used her normal voice and at a slightly amplified volume. Roderick immediately woke up, screaming in fright. His shock caused him to roll off the couch, Taylor falling back onto her butt as she moved out of the way to avoid being landed on.

When Roderick recovered and sat up on the floor, he rubbed his forehead where it had hit the floor. Taylor laughed, reaching over to gently touch the spot he was holding on his head. Roderick winced, and Taylor smiled. "Looks like you're gonna need ice. Sit right here." She pushed herself up to her feet, then walked to the kitchen, grabbing a plastic bag from the cabinet and opening the freezer. She filled the bag with ice, then grabbed a towel off the counter on her way back to the living room. Roderick was still in his spot on the floor, holding his head. Taylor sat down beside him, wrapping the bag in the cloth before resting it on his forehead. "I'm sorry, Roderick. I didn't mean to scare you." He chuckled. "Taylor, it's fine. A little bump on the head isn't gonna kill me. And by the way, I hope you don't mind that I had to help you change your clothes last night. You were more drunk than I was and you were already half-asleep by the time we got back here." Taylor giggled. "Nah, it's fine. You're not Shelley, you wouldn't have tried anything." Both of them cracked up at the mention of Alex. Once they recovered, Taylor reached up and grabbed the room service menu off the end table. "Want breakfast?" Roderick lowered the ice pack from his forehead, Taylor scooting over to sit by him so they could read the menu.

"I think pancakes sounds good. Or maybe waffles. All I know is that we're gonna have bacon. I will die without bacon." Roderick laughed at Taylor, her voice serious in her discussion of what they would be having for breakfast. "So you agree on pancakes?" Her hazel eyes flickered from the menu to his face, and he was momentarily entranced by her beauty, as corny and cliché as is sounded. Her hazel eyes were shining brightly, and her face was free of makeup, and to Roderick she looked beautiful. He was snapped back when she waved her hand in front of his face, her eyebrow raised. "Seriously, do you have a medical condition that makes you do that? Should I not let you watch any 3-D movies or something?" She laughed, Roderick doing the same. "No, smart mouth, I don't. I was just looking at you and thinking how pretty you look." The soft pink color that meant she was blushing crept onto her cheeks, almost making her face match her hair. Her eyes went back to the menu, her full lips drawn back over her teeth in a smile. This is what he'd always dreamed of, sharing a room with Taylor (well, more than that but that's neither here nor there) and just getting to hang out with her, even if technically she wasn't his girlfriend in real life like she always was in his daydreams.

He reached over and plucked the menu out of her hand. "Damn, you wanna pay ten bucks for pancakes when you can get the same thing and more down the street at McDonald's for five?" His incredulous look sent Taylor into hysterics. It took a minute for her laugh to die down, but she managed to look at Roderick. "Well fine, Mr. El Cheapo, we'll go to McDonald's. But go take a shower first. You smell like beer." "What, like you smell any better?" When Roderick got on his feet and headed toward her shower, Taylor was quick to turn him toward the door. "We'll be able to get there sooner if you go shower in your room while I shower in here. Meet me in the hall in fifteen minutes." Roddy agreed, then headed for his own room. When the door shut, Taylor smiled to herself before going in the bathroom and flipping on the shower. For some reason, the thought of going out with Roderick, even if it was for breakfast at McDonald's, made her want to jump on top of the bed and dance like a fool.

As promised, fifteen minutes later Taylor and Roderick met outside their rooms. Roderick had just changed into a black T-shirt and jeans, while Taylor had exchanged her pajamas for stonewashed jeans and a yellow varsity T-shirt. Her hair was in a slick ponytail, the way she seemed to prefer wearing it on hot days, and her sunglasses rested on top of her head. When she'd locked the door to her room and turned and saw Roderick, a smile crossed her face. It had been nice to get to hang out with him these two days, and she knew he felt the same way. They walked down the hall towards the elevator, Taylor abruptly stopping about halfway down. Roderick looked in the direction she was staring, and he saw that Eddie Edwards was standing in the adjacent hall, talking to Adam Cole. But as soon as Taylor realized Roderick was watching her watch Eddie, she turned and resumed her journey to the elevator. Roderick followed behind, content not to ask questions. When they reached said elevator, Taylor balled her hand into a fist and punched the down button. Once they were inside, Taylor leaned against the wall, biting her lip to keep the tears back. She shook her head slightly to herself, then looked back up at Roderick. "I'm good." He nodded, knowing she was talking more to herself than she was to him.

"So I'm assuming you will be having bacon at McDonald's this morning, am I right, Miss Ashton?" "Why yes, Mr. Strong, I believe I will." The elevator opened in the lobby, and they stepped out. Victoria stood in the lobby, and she immediately froze with shock. Taylor...and Roderick? Did she miss something? Taylor pretended not to notice her as she and Roderick left the hotel, the sunshine warming her as they turned toward the McDonald's three blocks down. Taylor reached in her back pocket and pulled out her credit card, flashing it to Roderick with her fingers. "Just so you know, I'm covering breakfast." Roderick went to protest, but Taylor held up her hand. "Don't argue with me. In case you forgot, or weren't informed, you covered our bar tab last night. And I'm sure when you get the bill for that you'll be glad I covered breakfast." A mischevious smile covered her face, and Roderick surrendered. "Fine, you can pay for breakfast. When I get this bill, I'll be paying you a visit." "I didn't drink the whole thing by myself, doll face." They both laughed, still laughing as Roderick opened the door for her at McDonalds.

They agreed on pancakes, bacon, and eggs, but Taylor ordered Coke while Roderick got sweet tea. Taylor flipped her card over to the girl behind the counter, then waited until she got her receipt and her card back, then stuck them in her back pocket. She fixed drinks while Roderick went and got a table, then collected their food and took it to the table, sitting down across from him. "Well, I guess the girl at the register is currently cutting the signature part off the receipt I had to sign and checking eBay to see how much she can get for it. It's wonderful when people know your name, huh?" Roderick laughed, pointing out the window. "Considering these three girls have been standing there staring at me since I sat down, I would say yes, it is wonderful, except when you're getting stalked." Taylor turned to the three girls, their faces pressed against the glass as they stared at Roderick, and she waved politely. When they saw her, their faces fell, and they seperated themselves from the window and continued in the door. The two ROH stars laughed, Taylor putting her hand over her mouth to muffle her distinctly throaty laugh. Once she managed to regain her composure, she set about cutting her pancakes into even little squares, the way she always did. Roderick, who was already eating, watched her with curiosity. "What are you doing?" "I'm cutting my pancakes. Have you never seen anyone do that?" "I've never seen anyone painstakingly cut them the way you are. It takes less concentration to pull off a moonsault than it does to do that." Taylor giggled. "My mom always used to do this when I was little, and it's just how I've always cut pancakes."

Breakfast was a jovial affair, both doing more talking and laughing than actual eating, which meant it took about an hour. When they finished, they were walking out when the three girls from earlier approached. "Aren't you Roderick Strong?" Roderick nodded. The tallest one, a blonde, brought her hands up to cover her open mouth. "OMG, we come to every ROH show at the Du Burns Arena just to see you!" She turned to Taylor. "But aren't you Eddie Edwards' girlfriend? Taylor something or other? Why are you with Roderick?" The redhead straightened up, her eyes narrowing. "Look, Blondie, I don't recall my personal life becoming any of your business." Roderick grabbed Taylor's arm, gently pulling her back. "Taylor, chill out. Excuse us, ladies, we have to be going now." The blonde girl scoffed, her friends looking at her with aggravation. As Taylor and Roderick went out the door, they heard one of the friends say, "Look what you did, Riley, you just ran Roderick-freakin'-Strong off! We could have got an autograph!" Then Riley cut in with a venomous "Shut the fuck up!" Taylor and Roderick shared a laugh over this, something they seemed to be doing a lot of.

"Well, Rod, looks like you have quite the fan club. Now at the tapings I'll have to look to see if I see Riley and Co. If I do, I'll be sure to wave." A smile crossed her face, but suddenly it disappeared. "Roderick, do you see what I see?" She pointed a little ways down the street, and Roderick had to admit he saw what she did. Eddie was walking down the street, the same way they were going, so his back was to them, but Taylor immediately recognized the back of the girl who was walking beside him. The brown hair and tan skin told it all. Miko Higurashi was by his side, smiling like there was no place in the world she'd rather be.

Miko happened to glance over her shoulder, and she saw Taylor. Stopping, she shook Eddie until he stopped. "Oh my God, look! It's Taylor, and she's with...Roderick?" To their surprise, Taylor suddenly grabbed Roderick and pressed her lips onto his. The Japanese girl's jaw nearly fell to the ground, and beside her, she could feel Eddie tense. He moved to go towards them, but Miko caught his arm. "Eddie, don't. She's not worth it." He listened, turning and continuing to walk. He was angry, though, and that made him walk faster, and Miko nearly had to run to catch up. She could see his heart breaking on his face, but he was fighting not to show it. She again glanced over her shoulder, and Taylor was now in the same predicament. Miko suspected the kiss had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, purely to make Eddie jealous. Now Taylor was leaning on Roderick's shoulder, biting her lip to keep from crying. When she saw Miko looking in her direction, she gave one of the most hateful gazes Miko had ever given or recieved, and that was saying something. Taylor was most probably feeling what Miko had felt all those times she had to watch Roderick fawn over Taylor, or listen to him go on and on about why she was so wonderful. Hate, jealousy, rejection. A toxic mix.

"I hate her. And him." Taylor was shaking, and she was biting down on her lip so hard Roderick was sure she was going to draw blood. The vein in her neck was sticking out, a sure sign she was angry. "Taylor, you gotta calm down. Otherwise you're gonna freak out and kill somebody and at this moment I don't think I could come and get you out of jail." A smile crossed her face, followed by a light laugh. She turned to Roderick. "I hate you too. You make it impossible to be mad when you're around because you break out the one-liners and everything goes to hell." Her eyes flicked to the ground before she looked back up. "And sorry about kissing you like that. I didn't think." Roderick shook his head. "It's fine. I understand, and no harm done."

But inside, he was running in circles and screaming for joy. He'd always wanted this, and now he had exactly what he wanted. If this is what came from Taylor breaking up with Eddie, he wished it would have happened a long time ago.

And just maybe he could draw another kiss out of Taylor.


	15. Chapter 15: Separate Ways

_"I think we need to talk."_

She'd been sitting in the driver's seat of her car staring at that text for ten minutes. Eddie wanted to talk to her? Probably since he'd seen her with Roderick yesterday. 'Highway To Hell' by ACDC was blaring in her ears from the car speakers, and that's what she felt like she was getting herself into. But at any rate, she was a grown woman and she at least had to face Eddie like so. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the car door, dropped her keys in her bag, and got out. The breeze blew through the rips in her black skinny jeans, causing a shiver to run up her spine. She had on the jeans, a Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt that hugged every inch of her upper body, calf high black studded motorcycle boots, and a black fedora pulled low over her hair. Today was one of her depressed days, and she was dressed as so. Plus, she'd just felt like dressing like this today and Roderick had told her the all-black made her look sexy. But then again he said that about everything she wore. Oh well. Dressing in tight clothes would show Mr. Edwards exactly what he had let go and, she laughingly thought to herself, what Roderick had now.

She shut the car door, then turned and walked toward the front door of the TGI Friday. Eddie had always loved this place for some manly reason. The perky waitress at the hostess stand was smiling like a fool, and she bounced along as she led Taylor to the table where Eddie was sitting. Taylor had to fight the urge to throw the girl down in the floor by her cheerleader-style ponytail and kick the hell out of her. Bubbly people irritated her when she was in her depressed mode.

She sat down across from Eddie, already feeling uncomfortable. She clasped her hands, leaning on the table. "You wanted to talk?" Eddie's eyes stayed glued to the table, but he did look up for an instant to make sure she was looking at him. "Taylor, I don't think we should get back together. Not now, at least." The redhead raised an eyebrow. "Oh, we shouldn't get back together? Why is that, so you can have fun with your new little girlfriend Miko?" The attitude in her voice made him look up, but she only greeted him with a cold look. "She's not my girlfriend. We're just friends." Taylor laughed. "Please, Eddie, you could come up with something better than that worn out line. Besides, you told everyone we were friends the first two months we were dating! I'm sure you'd say it again, especially now that you'd look like the bad guy if you went public about you and Miko." Eddie narrowed his eyes at Taylor, his voice dripping sarcasm. "Actually, I was going to wait until you and Roddy went public first. I thought it would be gentlemanly of me, ya know, since you did move onto him first. Are you sure the two of you weren't together when we were still dating?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. The white hot anger at Taylor that had made him say those words died down, and he felt shame take over as he saw Taylor's face fall and her eyes start to shimmer with tears.

Taylor's voice was soft and a little shaky when she managed to speak. "Oh my God...you think I cheated on you? What kind of person do you think I am, Eddie? Contrary to popular belief, I'm not some kind of she-devil whore. I thought you above anyone else would know that by now." Eddie nodded silently. Taylor suddenly had all her composure back, sitting ramrod straight. "Now what did you wanna talk about?" Her hands were unclasped now, and she just had her elbows resting on the table. Eddie silently reached out and flipped her wrist over, the tattoo on the inside of her arm catching his eye. 'Bella Vita' was written in script on the inside of her wrist, the black ink contrasting with her fair skin. "Beautiful Life, huh?" Bella Vita was one of Taylor's favorite expressions, she'd go around saying it ten thousand times a day. She scoffed, and he looked dead into her eyes. Behind her nonchalance, he could read the pain and the hurt in her hazel eyes, because he saw the same thing in his own eyes when he looked in the mirror. "My life used to be beautiful. Now I'm thinking of replacing it with something else. Maybe 'The World Is Mine' or some other cliche term." Eddie smirked. "Always the pessimist, I see. But anyway, that's not my point. See, Taylor, there's a difference in me and you now. Before we broke up, we thought we needed each other, that we'd die without each other. Now we know we can survive apart, and for now I think it's better this way. I can move on with my life, and you can move on with your life and your apparent relationship with Roderick." Taylor jerked her hand back out of his. "If you won't let me talk about you and Miko, I suggest you leave me and Roderick out of this discussion. But you're right. We know now that we can move on. And since we've moved on, I just want to apologize for all those things I said that Saturday." Eddie nodded. "And I apologize too. Friends?" He offered his hand to Taylor, and she shook. "Friends." She stood up. "I have to go now, but I want you to know I wish you the best with...all your future plans."

She resisted the urge to say Miko's name, instead throwing out one last little barb before she left. "I know you don't want me to say her name, so I'll just say that I wish you and her the best. And maybe you can give her that diamond ring you had picked out as my engagement ring." She went to walk away, but stopped and turned back to the table. Reaching in her pocket, she withdrew the diamond star necklace that had been her one year anniversary gift from Eddie, the same one Miko had broken. She gently laid the necklace on the table in front of Eddie, a soft smile on her face. "I believe this belongs to you."

With that, Taylor turned on the heel of her boots, walking away from the man she'd loved for two years of her life, knowing that Roderick would be waiting for her as soon as she got back to the hotel.


	16. Chapter 16: Long Kiss Goodbye

Taylor pulled into a parking spot outside the Du Burns Arena, adjusting her ponytail before heading inside. She had an interview for the Video Wire and a pre-show training session and then the show as well, so she was going to have a iverrryy/i long night. Grabbing her duffel bag out of the backseat, she headed inside, inwardly cringing as she saw Jim Cornette walking towards her. And he didn't look happy. "Taylor!" She groaned inside her head, knowing she was about to recieve some kind of lecture. Apparently Jim thought that since he'd known her since she was young, that made him some kind of parental figure to her. "Yes, Mr. Cornette?" "Taylor, my dear, it's been brought to my attention that you and Eddie are...having problems." Jim looked uncomfortable, and Taylor felt her body tense. "Jim, we're not having problems. We're broken up, and right now my only problem is that if this lecture continues on I'm gonna be late for my interview and training session. Now if you'll excuse me..." She adjusted her bag on her shoulder, then stepped around Jim and headed towards the House of Truth locker room, which she was now sharing since being evicted from Eddie's.

No one else was in the room, so she dropped her bag on the nearest chair and unzipped it. Producing her black sports bra and matching short shorts, she pulled her Jack Daniels T-shirt off over her head, then shucked her jeans. She dressed in her workout gear, then put on her wrestling boots and laced them, her kickpads and boot covers coming next. Pushing her bag onto the floor and stuffing her clothes inside, she sat down in the now vacant steel chair and looked in the mirror. Looking back at her was not just Taylor Marie Ashton, the twenty seven year old from Las Vegas, there was also a trace of her mother's courage and her father's determination in her face. She smiled. Jim told her she was getting to be more and more like her dad every day. Satisfied she looked fine, she zipped her bag, leaving it on the floor with her purse. She grabbed her bottle of Gatorade out of her purse, then walked out into the hallway. No one was here yet, since it was about two hours before the scheduled arrival time. The soft rythmic sound of her boots on the concrete floor was the only sound around her as she headed for the ring, absently cracking her knuckles and singing 'Drama Queen' by Family Force 5 to herself in her head.

Tonight on the show she had a match with Emily Briscoe, the younger sister of the Briscoe Brothers, so she and the Delaware girl were going to practice the tougher spots of the match. Two medics, Cornette, and the referee stood around the ring when she got there, Emily in the ring. Emily wore Daisy Duke shorts, a cut up #DemBoys T-shirt, black wrestling boots, and a rebel flag bandana tied around her hair, which was up in a ponytail. She smiled when she saw Taylor, hoping that Taylor would be able to put on a good match even with the pain she was experiencing. Emily had heard the rumors, and she'd heard the news they were true. Taylor, however, seemed to be fine, smiling like she was a millionaire. "Hey Em, are you ready?" The brunette nodded, and Todd Sinclair, the referee, stepped in the ring. The two girls backed into opposite corners, this being the spot where Emily was supposed to hit a Frankensteiner on Taylor. The brunette got a running start, then jumped up and hooked her legs on Taylor's shoulders. She flipped her over, Taylor landing firmly on her back in perfect form. The redhead got back on her feet, flashing a smile at Emily. "Excellent Frankensteiner, Emily." The brunette smirked. "It's your turn. Shooting Star Press, Taylor. From the top rope."

Taylor climbed to the top rope, waiting until Emily lay down on the mat and clutched her arms to her sides. The redhead sucked in a deep breath before jumping, preparing to flip herself in mid-air to hit the move. But as she went to come down for the landing, somehow her momentum shifted and she slammed into the mat head first. The bones in her neck cracked, her elbow hit the mat full speed, and she felt like a MAC truck had just ran over her. The two medics were immediately in the ring, instructing everyone not to touch her and to back up. Taylor rolled onto her back at the orders of the medics, tears rolling down her face from the white hot pain that was ripping through her right arm and neck. She listened as they told her that her neck could possibly be injured, that her elbow had obviously sustained damage, and that they were taking her back to the medical room to examine her. She lay still as they put a neckbrace on her, then decided that she could walk and one of them got on each side of her. When they got to the medical room, she was sat down on the exam table and told to sit still. The doctor gently got the neckbrace off of her, then prodded the bones in her neck. It hurt all over, but the doctor told her that she most probably was just feeling the pain from the fall and nothing appeared to be out of place. Then he turned his attention to her elbow. The doctor lifted her arm, and Taylor struggled not to scream from the pain. After a few minutes of examining it, Dr. Fisher smiled. "Taylor, I think that you've got a broken elbow.

Broken elbow? Broken elbow meant not being able to wrestle. Not being able to wrestle meant no money. No money meant getting another job. Tears again welled in her eyes, the doctor smiling. "Don't cry, doll, it'll be okay in about two or three months." He went about wrapping her joint in first white, then pink gauze. When he finished, he patted Taylor's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Taylor. It'll heal." The doctor smiled, then walked out to attend to his supplies before the show. Taylor sat on the exam table, her uninjured arm resting on her knee as she put her chin in her hand and started to cry. iOkay Taylor, no big deal. You can go back home for three months, get a job, find something to do until your arm heals. But Roderick... Forget Roderick... But... No buts, Taylor! You can do a lot of things while your arm heals if you go back to Vegas! Forget Roderick, forget Eddie, forget Miko, all of them!/i With this argument going on in her head, Taylor only cried harder. Suddenly, a voice calling her name entered her mind and brought her back to reality. She looked up, only to see Eddie standing by the door.

"What happened?" Taylor wiped her eyes. "I botched a Shooting Star Press in practice and broke my elbow." Eddie nodded. "I know how that feels." Taylor hopped down off the exam table, crossing her arms as much as her elbow would allow. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be off with your friends or your girlfriend? I certainly know you shouldn't be is her, alone with your ex-girlfriend. That's where rumors come from." "I found out that you got hurt and I came to see if you were okay. And judging by the looks of it, I either arrived before Roderick got here, or he's not coming at all. Real caring boyfriend you got there, Tay." He expected a smirk or a venom-filled insult from her, but instead tears began falling down her face. Taylor threw her hands up in the air. "Ya know what, I'm so sick of this. We're broken up, yet somehow we draw one another back like moths to a light. So guess what? I'm leaving. I'm leaving here and going back home to Vegas. I'm gonna be out of wrestling anyway with this elbow, so I'm going home, and who knows, I might never come back to wrestling or ROH or anything." Her mascara was running down her face now, and she was talking so fast Eddie had to focus on her to keep up. She was rambling on and on, not even realizing what she was saying. So Eddie shut her up quickly with a kiss.

His lips pressed into hers as her head tilted back, the pain in her neck being canceled out from the spark that shot through her chest. A whole rush of emotions fought for dominance in her head, but the only thing she could process was i"Oh my God, he's kissing me... But I don't love him anymore...Oh fuck this, he's kissing me!/i His hands were on her hips, and her arm was around his neck. When they broke apart, Eddie smiled. "Ya know, we really have to stop meeting like this." Taylor laughed a little, then got a sad look on her face. "This just might be our last meeting, babe." She stepped around him, going to head to the locker room to change for tonight's show, but stopped and turned to face him. "Goodbye Eddie." With that, she turned her back to him, her brave face holding up until she reached the end of the hall, then turned the corner toward the locker room and started crying again.

Maybe this was goodbye, and maybe it was for the best.


	17. Chapter 17: Behind This Mask

In the midst of her encounter with Eddie, Taylor had forgotten the interview. She stopped the nearest member of the ring crew and asked what time it was. Being informed that she was ten minutes late for her interview, she decided to blow it off. She could deal with the lecture from Cornette, she had more things to do. She took the long way to the House of Truth locker room to avoid seeing him again, her mind going over her time schedule for tonight. She had to run go change clothes and hurry off so that she and Roderick and Truth could do the Inside ROH segement. And now that she was injured, her match with Emily was off, so Emily would most probably be useless tonight as well. And now she had to stop in at Cornette's office and clear her schedule for the next two months. Soon all the things she had to started flooding her mind, and she had to stop and shut them all out. "Focus, Taylor." Her voice echoed in the empty hallway until another voice reached her ears. "Talking to yourself, I see." Taylor screamed and jumped, spinning around to see Adam leaning on the wall behind her. The Florida kid was smirking at her, like he could see straight through her. Taylor scoffed. "Talking to myself is better than talking to you." Adam pretended to be offended. "Oh really? And I assume being a backstabbing bitch is better than all that, right?"

In a flash, Taylor was standing right in front of him, her face so close to his their noses were practically touching. "Look, Adam, it's none of your business what I do, okay? None!" Adam sneered at her. "No, but it is my business when my best friend becomes the target of your hateful bitch ways." Before she really thought about it, Taylor slapped Adam across the face. Turning on her heel, she stormed off towards the locker room. Her head was pounding by this time, a result of her so-far-horrible afternoon. She slammed open the door to the locker room, nearly scaring the hell out of Roderick and Truth. Michael Elgin displayed a cool she had never seen before. Roderick immediately zeroed in on the wrap around her elbow. "Taylor, what happened?" "I broke my elbow in practice." Roderick went to say something else, but Taylor raised her hand. "Silence. That's all I ask for. Long story short, my elbow is broken, and I'm going home to Vegas until it heals." Roderick turned white, while Truth freaked. "So you're leaving when you could be the key to us getting to the top of Ring of Honor? Do you know how much momentum we have now that Eddie Edwards's ex-girlfriend is in the House of Truth?" Taylor started breathing hard, a sure sign she was angry. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! All I'm known for right now is being the ex-girlfriend of Eddie Edwards, who apparently is a saint now that we're broken up while I'm the fucking mistress of Satan!"

When her rant was done, Taylor snatched her clothes for tonight out of her bag, then disappeared behind the row of lockers to change. She reappeared in a pink bedazzled bra, hot pink short shorts with a bedazzled belt, and knee high black motorcycle boots. This was an outfit she'd had for years, and she'd had to dig it up since most of her newer gear all read either 'Die Hard' or 'Edwards' somewhere on it. During her moment of alone time between kissing Eddie and slapping Adam, she'd called and had a plane ticket to Vegas booked for tonight after the show, so she figured she could get her mom to make her some new gear when she got home. "Look Roderick, I need you to drive me to the airport after the show." As she talked, she produced an 'In Roderick I Trust' T-shirt, slipping it on over her outfit. When she turned around, she saw Roderick's eyes light up. She had decided that she would show her support for Roderick just as she had for...well, you know. Truth rolled his eyes. "Excuse me lovebirds, but we do have an interview about Finlay and Border Wars to attend to." With an eyeroll from Taylor, the two followed him and Elgin out the door and down to where Kevin Kelly stood waiting to interview them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome at this time the House of Truth, Roderick Strong, Truth Martini, Michael Elgin, and the "Queen of ROH" Taylor Ashton!" The four stepped into the camera frame, smiling like the self-centered group they were. "Roderick, you face Fit Finlay at Border Wars in Toronto. What are your thoughts?" Kevin turned the microphone in Roderick's direction, but Taylor snatched it first. Roderick didn't care, instead watching her lovingly. "Let me tell all of you something! Some old ass Irish dude isn't about to walk in here and think that he can beat Roderick. That's not gonna happen, Finlay! First off, Roddy's got Truth. Second, he's got Elgin. But third and most important of all, he's got me! I might have a hurt elbow, but I just might pull myself together and show up at Border Wars on May 12th." Without another word, she gave the microphone to Kevin and walked off. She walked back to the locker room, hurriedly changing back into her street clothes, her Jack Daniels T-shirt and her jeans. She was tying her Converse when Roderick came back in the room. "Are you sure you wanna leave?" Taylor nodded. "Please just drive me to the airport and don't say anything else about it."

In silence, they walked out to Roderick's car, Taylor having collected her bags from her own car, which would be picked up when her aunt came from Virginia to organize all her stuff from the house in Boston. Taylor dropped into the passenger seat, feeling sad, defeated, and hurt. This could quite possibly be the last time she would ever leave the Du Burns Arena as a wrestler. This could quite possibly be her last day as a pro wrestler. She looked over to where Roderick was driving, seeing the obvious unhappiness with the situation on his face. She sat back in the seat, absently rubbing the gauze on her elbow. Life sucked.

They arrived at the airport, Roderick carrying Taylor's two suitcases. Everything else she had was in storage, and she planned to come back and get it as soon as she could get everything in Vegas straight. Roderick had agreed to walk her only to the security checkpoint, and that's what he did. Taylor hugged him goodbye, at the last minute kissing him. "Thanks for being my friend, Roderick." He nodded, unable to think of anything that would express what he was feeling. Taylor smiled softly, turning to leave before Roderick grabbed her hand. "Are you sure you won't stay?" Taylor nodded, then turned again. As she walked away, she didn't dare turn around. She knew that there was only one man that, if he asked, she would stay for. And as much as she hated to admit it to herself, it wasn't Roderick.

No, there was only one man she would have hesitated for, and that was Eddie Edwards.


	18. Chapter 18: We Aren't Finished Yet

Taylor sat on her front porch, biting hard on her knuckle. It was something she did when she was thinking, and for some reason it helped her think. And right now, she was thinking that she was in the worst mess of her life. She had thought that when she came back home, things would settle down and she would be able to move on without a black cloud hanging over her head. But now, her problems just carried over into her home life here in Vegas. And the reason that she couldn't move on right now was very, very simple.

She, Taylor Marie Ashton, was pregnant.

Yes, she was two and a half months pregnant. Her doctor had told her yesterday, and told her that it was a good thing she was out of wrestling for now so that there was no danger of the baby getting hurt. And she'd been on top of the world for all of ten seconds before everything stopped and she nearly fainted. Her mind had screamed out i"You never had sex with Roderick, dumbass! So who does that leave? That's right, honey, you're gonna be having Eddie's baby!"/i So here she sat on her porch, her myTouch phone laying on the railing in front of her. Just when she thought she was getting away from it all, his baby was inside her. Her hand absently touched the small swell of her stomach. So that explained the reason she looked fat on camera. She was gaining weight. Her mind again ran over how she was supposed to tell Eddie. Should she call him? Or should she fly back to Boston and tell him in person? Finally she decided it would be easier to call him, and then if he wanted her to, she'd fly in to see him.

The sound of the phone ringing seemed especially loud in her ear, Taylor getting up to walk in the house. She switched the phone to speaker, laying it down on the counter and leaning on her elbows. The phone rang and rang, until finally he answered. "Hello?" He sounded half-asleep, like he'd just woken up. Note to self, check the time difference. "Eddie, it's Taylor." "I know. How're you doing?" She bit down on her lip. "I'm good. Finally got settled back in here at the house. But look, that's not why I called you. I have something important to tell you." His voice suddenly became alert. "What? Are you okay?" She laughed a little, Eddie always one to freak out when she said she had something important to say. "Yeah, I'm fine, Eddie, calm down. I think that what I have to say is gonna make you happy." She took a deep breath before blurting it out. "Eddie, I'm pregnant. And it's yours."

Only silence came through the speaker for a few minutes before Eddie spoke again. "Are you serious?" Taylor sniffed, trying to keep the tears back. "Yes, I'm serious. I'm two months pregnant. I just found out yesterday." She didn't know what else to say, so she just hushed and waited for him to say something, anything. He finally broke the silence. "Can you fly in to see me? You can stay in a hotel or whatever, I just want to see you." There was a pause before he spoke back up. "Just think, Tay, you're gonna be the mother to my child. And I'll be a daddy." Taylor had to laugh at the wonder in his voice. "That's right. A baby, yours and mine." "So can you fly in? I can pick you up at the airport." She thought a moment. After leaving, did she really want to go back and see all of them? Not just Eddie, but Miko, Adam, Cassandra, Victoria, and all the rest of the people she'd walked over. But then again, she didn't want to be one of those evil mothers that used her baby as a pawn to get what she wanted from the father. "Sure. I'll get a flight for Boston, and I'll be in probably tomorrow night. Eddie, are you sure you want me to be back? I mean, I know I'm pregnant and everything, but won't it just cause a lot of drama for you?" Eddie laughed. "Who cares? You're the mother-to-be of my baby and you should be able to come and go as often as you please. But you'll have to catch a flight to Toledo instead of Boston." Her eyebrows drew together.

"Why are you in Toledo?" He sighed on the other end of the line. "I'm here with Miko and Adam and Cassandra, in training." "Oh.." She dropped off, and he hurriedly tried to keep her from changing her mind. "But don't let that keep you from coming, Taylor, please. Maybe you being pregnant is a sign." Taylor giggled a bit girlishly before she realized it, forgetting for a moment that she and Eddie were broken up. "A sign of what?" "A sign that maybe you and me were meant to be together. Ya know, I thought about it, and maybe we were too quick to break up and throw everything to the wind." Taylor smiled, even though she knew he couldn't see it. "Maybe you're right. All right, Eddie, I'll see you tomorrow at the airport in Toledo." As she went to hang up, she stopped. "I love you." There was a brief pause before he replied. "I love you too, Taylor. Always have, always will."

When she hung up, she bit her lip and headed to her bedroom to pack. She had to take clothes, at least enough for two days, because she didn't know how long she'd stay once she got to Toledo. As she stuffed clothes in her suitcase, she imagined how it would be when she got off the plane and saw Eddie. Would he bring Miko with him, or maybe Adam? Or just maybe he'd come alone. Oh God, if he came alone, there was so much that could be said or done that might add more fuel to the fire that was causing all the drama around them. Her hand touched her bare neck, an action that was involuntarily. She still reached for the diamond star she'd given back to Eddie sometimes, forgetting the necklace was back in his possesion. She sat down on the side of the bed, her rolling emotions suddenly becoming too much to process at one time.

Her hand touched her belly as she smiled softly to herself. Maybe Eddie was right, maybe her being pregnant was a sign they weren't meant to be over just yet.


	19. Chapter 19: What You Need To Hear

The plane to Toledo landed at the air strip, bringing Taylor one step closer to either the closure she needed or the fresh start she wanted. She stepped off the plane, clutching her purse to her side. Her hands were shaking as she followed the crowd from her flight into the main part of the airport, collecting her suitcase from baggage claim. Once her luggage was in her possesion, she turned and headed toward the front door. And suddenly, a smile crossed her face.

Eddie was standing there waiting for her, looking nervous as hell. When he looked up and saw her, the same smile she wore crossed his face as well. The distance between them closed, and she was wrapped in a hug. He stepped back and looked down at her belly, smiling again to himself. Snapping back, he picked up her suitcase and slung it over his shoulder, the two of them heading towards his car. Neither of them said anything, because to be honest they couldn't think of anything to say. Once her suitcase was in the backseat, Taylor stopped Eddie before he could get in the driver's seat. "Look, I just want to say thanks for wanting me to come. If I was you, I would've said no in a heartbeat." Eddie smiled. "That's where we're different, Taylor. You don't stop and think about much, but I do. And I thought about, what if you didn't come? What if you not coming meant I'd never see my baby once it was born? So it seemed the easier road to take to let you come, which keeps the peace." Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Keeps the peace? Since when did you become all hippie?" Her smile gave her away, and before she could help it she was laughing so hard she doubled over. Eddie was laughing too, and soon the both of them were laughing like nutcases in the middle of the parking lot.

When the laughing died down, Taylor smiled at the trace of the old days. They got in the car, heading back to the hotel, again in silence. The ride was quick, the hotel not very far from the airport. Taylor got her suitcase, stepping back when Eddie reached for it, smirking. "I can carry my own suitcase. I'm only two months pregnant, not an invalid." He put his hands up in defeat, leading her to the front desk. She booked her room, accepting her key card. They walked to the elevator, Taylor taking a deep breath before she let out her confession. "I'm leaving in two days. I came for two reasons. One, to let you see me and discuss what to do when the baby comes, and two, to tell you that I want you to move on once I leave. Forget about what we had, and move on...be there for Miko. I can tell she really loves you, Eddie. And I decided on the plane that it's selfish of me to keep stringing you along. Me and you, we need time apart before we even think about getting back together. More than a few weeks.


	20. Chapter 20: Darkness Descends On Her

April 21st, 2012

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Taylor had come tonight as a fan, but she had to go to Cornette's office and talk to him about her current condition. She was walking down the empty hall when suddenly her space was invaded by a shadowy presencse. And when she looked up, she wished that she could forget all the memories that flooded her head.

Jimmy Jacobs stood in front of her, his dark eyes staring at her in an eerie fashion. "Get out of my way, Jimmy." Her voice was cold, but Jimmy just smiled. "Taylor, Taylor, Taylor, still the same old cold hearted girl you were back then, huh? But you'll have to lose that hatred, because I hear that kind of thing gets passed on to a baby in the womb." Taylor was starting to feel uncomfortable under his intense gaze and sick smile, and she backed up a step, but ran into the wall behind her. Jimmy stepped in front of her, blocking her in on all sides. "Doll, you're too bold for your own good. Or that baby's." She felt his hand gently touch her belly, and she slapped it away. "Don't touch me, Jimmy. But hey, just think, I could be carrying your baby right now instead of Eddie's. And we would have already had one baby by now. But I guess you pushing me off that ring apron was such a great moment of sick joy for you that it overshadowed what it did to me." Her hazel eyes stared fiercely into his brown ones, glaring daggers. Jimmy's fingers twisted in Taylor's red hair, pulling her head back a little. His face got dangerously close to hers, and he smiled sickly again. "Just remember, baby, I can still hurt you now like I hurt you then. And Eddie Edwards too."

"Just remember, Taylor, you used to be a member of the evil, just like me." The same sick smile Jimmy had worn since stopping her grew wider. "Yes, but you forget that I must have been more evil than you because I was the one who left you in the middle of the ring, crying like a baby. Remember that, Jimmy, I made you look weak!" Taylor snatched away from him, her lip curled in disgust. "And Jimmy, a little advice. Leave Miko out of your sick plans, or else." As she went to walk away, Jimmy caught her wrist, pulling her back against him. His face was by her ear, and his voice was law as he whispered to her. "Still the fiesty little dynamite you were back then, aren't you? You don't know how much I love it when you let your evil side show." Taylor scoffed, turning to face the man behind her. "And honestly I don't care to know. Just because you love something doesn't mean you won't stomp it out. I know that firsthand. You loved me, but you still shoved me off a ring apron and killed your own child." She could see that her words hit him hard, something breaking the coldness in his eyes. Something called guilt. "Taylor, that was a long time ago. I was young and stupid." "As far as I'm concerned, you're still stupid. And you're no more evil than a pair of socks to me because I knew you long before you ever became the insane idiot you are now." She laughed darkly, the unusual action making Jimmy look surprised. "I've still got the evil in me too, Jimmy, something you seem to forget. You're not the only one that can be a psycho. Don't play with me, because I made you break down once and I can damn sure do it again."

A smirk crossed her face as she closed the distance between her and Jimmy, her hand resting on his shoulder and her voice breathy on his ear. "See, Jimmy, I know how to push every button you have. Play with me, and I'll make you so hot you can't stand it." With a soft laugh, she turned and walked off. The hate in Jimmy that he had towards her bubbled up, and his evil smile crossed his face again as he figured out exactly how he'd get back at Taylor Ashton. And he'd do it tonight.

No one had seen Taylor since a little before the show, and it was halfway over. Jim Cornette was getting a little worried, since he was supposed to know where his talent was. Suddenly, there was a commotion in the ring, and the lights went out. There was a few moments of darkness before the lights came back on, and Jimmy Jacobs was in the ring and leaning on the turnbuckle, Taylor by his side. Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was hooked to the turnbuckle with a pair of handcuffs. A gash ran across her forehead, like she'd been in a fight, and blood was pouring down her face. Jimmy twirled a microphone in his hand, smiling as he turned to the crowd. "You all are aware that the evil side of me has resurfaced. But what I'm not sure you are aware that there's one person who's posed a problem to me and my intentions. And that's my favorite redhead." He turned to Taylor, who turned her face away from him. He reached out and grabbed her chin, jerking her head to face him. He let go of her, brushing her hair out of her face. "Doll face, do you have to be so uncooperative?" She glared at him, no response given. "Forgot your words, Taylor?" Her lip curled in disgust as he turned the microphone in her direction. "Actually, I prefer not to speak to insane idiots, 'doll face', but I guess I can make an exception for you. I only have one thing to say, and that's you're a sick motherfucker and I hope you rot in hell, you baby killer!" Without a word, Jimmy slapped her across the face, Taylor falling down onto her knees. "I told you to stop saying that. You never should have been on that ring! It wouldn't have happened like it did if you hadn't been in the way!" He paused and laughed. "But don't worry, what I'm about to do will be much worse."

Reaching in his pocket, he produced a syringe, unlocking one of Taylor's handcuffs with his free hand. He twisted her arm around, earning a cry of pain from the redhead. He uncapped the syringe and roughly stuck it in Taylor's arm, her face twisting up in agony. Once she was injected, he dropped her arm, laughing again. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart." Taylor attempted to say something, but her throat felt like it was closing up. Her whole body felt heavy and weak, and suddenly all she saw was a flash of white before her hazel eyes closed. Once she was sucessfully sedated, Jimmy patiently got out of the ring, acquired a table from underneath it, then pushed it into the ring and set it up. Once that was done, he unlocked her other handcuff and untied her wrists, then carried her over and laid her on the table on her back. Then her wrists and ankles were tied to the table legs, Jimmy making sure she was secured.

Taylor was unaware of anything happening around her, her head rolled to the side as she lay there unconcious. Jimmy smirked at the crowd, the silence heavy as the audience was in disbelief of his actions. Again fishing in his pocket, he produced a small silver knife. He pulled Taylor's shirt up around her ribs, exposing her growing belly. But instead of focusing on it, he moved up to her lips, the blade in his hand sliding over her bottom lip until the blood began spilling down her chin. When her mouth was bloody enough to his satisfaction, he bent down and kissed her, her blood covering his lips and chin. He touched her bloody lips when he straightened back up, then drew a cross on her stomach with her own blood. Then he turned his attention to her stomach. He teasingly and gently traced a circle around her belly with the blade, not hard enough to cut her but enough to leave a red mark.

Before he could actually cut into her skin, the ring was rushed by Roderick and Victoria. The two unlikely allies were in the ring in a flash, Roderick fighting Jimmy off while Victoria hurriedly got the ropes around Taylor's wrists and ankles untied. She helped Taylor onto her feet, the redhead totally out. Victoria threw her arm over her shoulders, then led her to the ropes. She had to push Taylor down and physically roll her out of the ring, then get her back up and lead her to the curtain. By now, Roderick had Jimmy down, so he followed quickly. He threw Taylor's other arm over his shoulders, trying to help Victoria, but he finally gave up and just scooped Taylor up into his arms bridal-style. They disappeared behind the curtain, the crowd still silent.

"Come on, Taylor, wake up!" Roderick and Victoria were in the medical office with Taylor and the two on-site medics, trying to get her to open her eyes. The ambulance had been called but had yet to arrive, so everyone was nervous with 'what if' thoughts. The redhead had yet to even stir, whatever Jimmy had injected into her arm seriously knocking her out. They had managed to stop the bleeding from her forehead and lip, but it was obvious she'd have to be stitched up.

Roderick was holding her hand and holding back tears while Victoria was brushing red hair out of her friend's face and talking to her, trying to bring her round. The medics were checking her stomach to make sure the baby was fine. Finally, Taylor's eyelids twitched and she opened her eyes. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but instead screamed in a terrified voice, "Don't let him kill my baby!", at the top of her lungs. Her face was white as a sheet, sweat breaking on her forehead. Victoria wrapped her friend in a hug, trying to calm her. Taylor buried her face in Victoria's shoulder, crying her eyes out. The sight of this was too much for Roderick, who walked out in the hallway to calm down before he went and got arrested for killing Jimmy Jacobs on TV. He leaned against the wall, rubbing his temples to try to quell the growing headache. He did this for a few minutes until Victoria stuck her head out the door. "The ambulance is almost here, there's a lot of traffic. But I came to get you. She wants to talk to you." Roderick straightened up, taking a deep breath before walking back in the room. Taylor was sitting in a chair, her knees drawn up to her chest and her face buried in her hands. When he knelt down in front of her, she looked up briefly before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Roddy, I'm so scared. He...he tried to kill me! Me and my baby both!" Her voice trailed off as she started crying again, Roderick sliding his arms around her back and pulling her close. "I know, Taylor. I'm so sorry." Taylor leaned back a little, looking him in the face. "Roderick, why didn't Eddie come to save me? I'm carrying his baby, doesn't he care?" Roderick was heartbroken by the look of utter despair on her pretty face. "I don't know, babe. I don't know what to tell you." Taylor again started crying, hugging Roderick tightly again like if she let go, Jimmy would come after her again. Victoria poked her head in the room. "The ambulance is here." Two paramedics came in with a stretcher, helping Taylor to take a seat. As they went to take her out, she reached for Roderick's hand and held tightly. "Don't leave me, Roddy. Please."

And so he didn't. Roderick went with Taylor and Victoria to the hospital, hoping to God that the beautiful redhead he loved would be okay.


	21. Chapter 21: He's My Knight In Armor

Taylor had been admitted to the hospital for observation, just for safety precautions. The doctors had found out that what Jimmy had injected her with was no more than a liquid sleeping medication, and it would have no side effects on her or her pregnancy. She'd been sedated again, this time by the doctors, since she'd spent most of the night tossing and turning and screaming out "Don't let him kill my baby" in her fitful sleep. Roderick had spent the night with her, sleeping in the chair beside her bed. He had held her in his arms when she started screaming and then held her hand when she calmed down and fell back to sleep. Victoria was across the room on the small cot the nurse had brought in, the two of them (Victoria and Roderick) the only ones who could calm Taylor when she started screaming.

The first rays of sunshine streamed in the window, making Roderick rub his eyes and stretch. The clock on his phone read 7:00, and he looked over to check on Taylor. She was peacefully asleep, on her side with her hands folded under her head. Victoria was awake, reading a magazine as she sat crosslegged on the bed she was sleeping in. When she noticed Roderick was awake, she smiled. "Morning. I was waiting for you to get up so we could go get breakfast." The two headed down to the elevator, taking it to the first floor and heading for the cafeteria. "Ya know, Roderick, I think it's really nice of you to be staying with Taylor." Roderick nodded. "Thanks, Vic. I just don't want her to be alone and apparently Eddie's not coming." Victoria bit her lip. "Roddy, I was supposed to tell you that Eddie didn't know Taylor was attacked. He wasn't even at the arena last night. He only found out about what happened to her when I called him this morning. He's on his way to see her."

"Get away from me, Eddie. You didn't try to help me when I needed you the most. If he would have carved me up like a Christmas turkey, you wouldn't have been there." Taylor turned over on her other side to face the wall, avoiding looking at him. Eddie leaned against the wall, watching her and waiting for her to give in and turn back to face him. Outwardly, he was collected, but inside he was nearly on the verge of going nuts. When Victoria had called him this morning, his blood had ran cold, and when she'd sent him the footage of what happened, he'd nearly started crying. Taylor, ihis/i Taylor, the mother of his unborn baby, tied to a table and nearly bmurdered/b at the hands of Jimmy Jacobs, fucking psychopathic nutjob he was, and Eddie hadn't even been there to protect her. And that had given her a whole new perspective on things. She didn't care what he said, it made no difference. Roderick had been there for her and Eddie hadn't. Probably the result of Miko poisioning his mind against her.

Even though she was acting tough, Eddie knew Taylor was hurting. Not just physically (her stitched up lip and forehead were swollen), but she was obviously hurt emotionally. "Taylor..." "Go the fuck away." Her voice was cold, and Eddie gave up on her. It was obvious she didn't seem to be in a forgiving mood, and it also seemed likely it would be a while before she would forgive him. So he turned and walked out, ignoring Victoria and Roderick on his way to the elevator.

Lately life had been rough for him, and it seemed like it was just getting worse.


End file.
